This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Paternal Family Tree: Cooper
On 31st March 1937 [his father] Major Anthony Ashley-Cooper [aged 36] and [his mother] Françoise Soulier were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Anthony Ashley-Cooper 9th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 67] and [his grandmother] Constance Grosvenor Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 61].
On 22nd May 1938 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury was born to [his father] Major Anthony Ashley-Cooper [aged 37] and [his mother] Françoise Soulier.
On 8th March 1947 [his father] Major Anthony Ashley-Cooper [aged 46] died.
On 25th March 1961 [his grandfather] Anthony Ashley-Cooper 9th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 91] died. His grandson Anthony [aged 22] succeeded 10th Earl Shaftesbury, 10th Baron Ashley of Wimborne St Giles, 11th Baronet Cooper of Rockbourne in Southampton.
In July 1966 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 28] and Christina Eva Montan Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 26] were married. She by marriage Countess Shaftesbury.
In July 1966 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 28] and Bianca Maria de Paolis Countess of Shaftesbury were married. She by marriage Countess Shaftesbury. They divorced in 1948 on the grounds of his adultery with an unnamed woman. There was no issue from the marriage.
On 24th June 1977 [his son] Anthony Ashley-Cooper 11th Earl of Shaftesbury was born to Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 39] and [his wife] Christina Eva Montan Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 37].
On 3rd June 1979 [his son] Nicholas Ashley-Cooper 12th Earl of Shaftesbury was born to Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 41] and [his wife] Christina Eva Montan Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 39].
In 2000 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 61] and Christina Eva Montan Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 60] were divorced.
On 5th November 2002 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 64] and Jamila Ben M'Barek Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 41] were married. She by marriage Countess Shaftesbury. The marriage lasted until April 2004 when he started a relationship with Nadia Orche. The difference in their ages was 22 years.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 3rd November 2004 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 66] arrived in Nice, France to meet with his estranged wife Jamila Ben M'Barek Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 43].
On 5th November 2004, his second wedding anniversary, Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury [aged 66] was murdered by Mohammed M'Barek, brother of his wife Jamila Ben M'Barek Countess of Shaftesbury [aged 43] on her behalf. On 7th April 2005 the remains of Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury were discovered in a valley at Théoule-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes on the outskirts of Cannes. His son Anthony [aged 27] succeeded 11th Earl Shaftesbury, 11th Baron Ashley of Wimborne St Giles, 12th Baronet Cooper of Rockbourne in Southampton. He died six weeks after assuming the title following the discovery of his father's remains.
On 16th March 2013 [his former wife] Bianca Maria de Paolis Countess of Shaftesbury died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 26 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 22 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 28 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 26 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 14 Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 32 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 17 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 30 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Ashley-Cooper 4th Earl Shaftesbury 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Cropley Ashley-Cooper 6th Earl Shaftesbury 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Bouverie Countess Shaftesbury
Great x 2 Grandfather: Anthony Ashley-Cooper 7th Earl Shaftesbury 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Spencer 4th Duke of Marlborough 
12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Spencer-Churchill Countess Shaftesbury 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Caroline Russell Duchess of Marlborough 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Anthony Ashley-Cooper 8th Earl Shaftesbury 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Peter Nassau Clavering-Cowper 5th Earl Cowper 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper
Great x 2 Grandmother: Emily Caroline Catherine Frances Cowper Countess Shaftesbury 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Penistone Lamb 1st Viscount Melbourne
Great x 3 Grandmother: Emily Lamb Countess Cowper 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Milbanke Viscountess Melbourne 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Anthony Ashley-Cooper 9th Earl of Shaftesbury 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Arthur Chichester 1st Marquess Donegal 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Chichester 2nd Marquess Donegal 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Hamilton Countess Donegal 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Chichester 3rd Marquess Donegal 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Harriet Augusta Anna Seymourina Chichester Countess Shaftesbury 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Butler 1st Earl Glengall 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Harriet Anne Butler Marchioness Donegal
Father: Major Anthony Ashley-Cooper 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Grosvenor 1st Marquess Westminster 
15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Grosvenor 2nd Marquess Westminster 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Egerton Marchioness Westminster 
12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 1st Duke Westminster 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Granville Leveson-Gower 1st Duke Sutherland 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower Marchioness Westminster 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sutherland Duchess Sutherland 19th Countess Sutherland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandfather: Victor Alexander Grosvenor 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Granville Leveson-Gower 1st Duke Sutherland 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sutherland Duchess Sutherland 19th Countess Sutherland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandmother: Constance Leveson-Gower Duchess Westminster 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Howard 6th Earl Carlisle 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard Duchess Sutherland 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Georgiana Cavendish Countess Carlisle 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
GrandMother: Constance Grosvenor Countess of Shaftesbury 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Frederick Lumley-Savile 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick Lumley-Savile 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Lumley 9th Earl Scarborough 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reverend George de la Poer Beresford 
12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Mary Beresford 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Sibell Mary Lumley 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward IV of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Andrew Robert Drummond
Great x 2 Grandmother: Adeliza Drummond Countess Scarborough 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Henry Manners 5th Duke Rutland 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Frederica Manners 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Howard Duchess Rutland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Anthony Ashley-Cooper 10th Earl of Shaftesbury 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
GrandFather: Georges Soulier of Caudebec-en-Caux
Mother: Françoise Soulier