Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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Paternal Family Tree: Curzon
On 19th February 1716 [his father] Nathaniel Curzon 4th Baronet (age 40) and [his mother] Mary Assheton Baroness Curzon (age 22) were married at Middleton, Lancashire.
On 2nd February 1730 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon was born to [his father] Nathaniel Curzon 4th Baronet (age 54) and [his mother] Mary Assheton Baroness Curzon (age 36).
Around 1739 Andrea Soldi (age 36). Portrait of [his mother] Mary Assheton Baroness Curzon (age 45) and her children [his brother] Nathaniel Curzon 1st Baron Scarsdale (age 13) and Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 8).
Around 1742 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 11) educated at Brasenose College, Oxford University.
In 1751 [his brother] Nathaniel Curzon 1st Baron Scarsdale (age 25) and [his sister-in-law] Caroline Colyear Baroness Scarsdale (age 18) were married. She the daughter of Charles Colyear 2nd Earl Portmore (age 50).
In 1754 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 23) was elected MP Clitheroe.
In 1756 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 25) and Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 18) were married.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Before 31st January 1757 [his son] Penn Curzon was born to Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 26) and [his wife] Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 19). He married Sophia Howe 2nd Baroness Howe, daughter of Richard Howe 1st Earl Howe and Mary Hartop, and had issue.
On 16th November 1758 [his father] Nathaniel Curzon 4th Baronet (age 82) died. His son [his brother] Nathaniel (age 32) succeeded 5th Baronet Curzon of Kedleston in Derbyshire, 5th Baronet Curzon of Nova Scotia. [his wife] Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 20) by marriage Lady Curzon of Kedleston in Derbyshire.
On 24th December 1758 [his daughter] Esther Curzon Lady Smith was born to Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 28) and [his wife] Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 20). She married 8th January 1778 George Smith aka Pauncefoot-Bromley 2nd Baronet, son of George Smith 1st Baronet and Mary Howe Lady Smith, and had issue.
Before 15th March 1761 [his daughter] Mary Curzon Baroness Stawell was born to Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 31) and [his wife] Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 23). She married 1779 Henry Bilson Legge 2nd Baron Stawell, son of Henry Bilson Legge and Mary Stawell 1st Baroness Stawell, and had issue.
On 9th April 1761 [his brother] Nathaniel Curzon 1st Baron Scarsdale (age 35) was created 1st Baron Scarsdale. [his sister-in-law] Caroline Colyear Baroness Scarsdale (age 28) by marriage Baroness Scarsdale.
After July 1764 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 34) and Dorothy Grosvenor Baroness Curzon were married.
On 19th July 1764 [his brother-in-law] Richard Grosvenor 1st Earl Grosvenor (age 33) and Henrietta Vernon Countess Grosvenor (age 28) were married.
On 21st July 1764 [his wife] Esther Hanmer Baroness Curzon (age 26) died.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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On 13th February 1774 [his son] Robert Curzon Baron Zouche was born to Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 44) and [his wife] Dorothy Grosvenor Baroness Curzon. He married 1808 Harriet Anne Bishopp 13th Baroness Zouche, daughter of Cecil Bishopp 12th Baron Zouche, and had issue.
On 21st February 1774 [his wife] Dorothy Grosvenor Baroness Curzon died.
On 18th March 1776 [his mother] Mary Assheton Baroness Curzon (age 82) died.
In 1777 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 46) and Anna Margaretta Meredith Viscountess Curzon Penn Buckinghamshire were married.
On 8th January 1778 [his son-in-law] George Smith aka Pauncefoot-Bromley 2nd Baronet (age 24) and [his daughter] Esther Curzon Lady Smith (age 19) were married. She by marriage Lady Smith of Nottingham and East Stoke in Nottinghamshire.
In 1779 [his son-in-law] Henry Bilson Legge 2nd Baron Stawell (age 22) and [his daughter] Mary Curzon Baroness Stawell (age 17) were married.
In 1792 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 61) was elected MP Clitheroe.
In 1802 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 71) was created 1st Viscount Curzon of Penn in Buckinghamshire. [his wife] Anna Margaretta Meredith Viscountess Curzon Penn Buckinghamshire by marriage Viscountess Curzon of Penn in Buckinghamshire.
In June 1804 [his wife] Anna Margaretta Meredith Viscountess Curzon Penn Buckinghamshire died.
On 5th December 1804 [his brother] Nathaniel Curzon 1st Baron Scarsdale (age 78) died. His son [his nephew] Nathaniel (age 52) succeeded 2nd Baron Scarsdale, 6th Baronet Curzon of Kedleston in Derbyshire, 6th Baronet Curzon of Nova Scotia. Félicité Anne Josephe de Wattines Lady Scarsdale (age 39) by marriage Baroness Scarsdale.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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In 1808 [his son] Robert Curzon Baron Zouche (age 33) and [his daughter-in-law] Harriet Anne Bishopp 13th Baroness Zouche (age 20) were married.
Before 21st March 1820 [his son] Penn Curzon (age 63) died.
On 21st March 1820 Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon (age 90) died. His grandson Richard (age 23) succeeded 2nd Viscount Curzon of Penn in Buckinghamshire.
Kings Wessex: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 22 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 17 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 26 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 20 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 24 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Curzon 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Francis Curzon 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Curzon 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Vernon 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Vernon 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Ludlow 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Curzon 1st Baronet 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Sacheverell 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Sacheverell 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Lowe
Great x 2 Grandmother: Millicent Sacheverell 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Dethick
Great x 3 Grandmother: Emma Dethick
GrandFather: Nathaniel Curzon 2nd Baronet 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Randulph Crewe 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Crew
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Crew
Great x 1 Grandmother: Patience Crewe Baroness Curzon
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reginald Bray 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Reginald Bray of Stene and Hinton
Great x 2 Grandmother: Temperance Bray
Father: Nathaniel Curzon 4th Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Penn
GrandMother: Sarah Penn Baroness Curzon
Assheton Curzon 1st Viscount Curzon 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Ralph Assheton 1st Baronet
GrandFather: Ralph Assheton 2nd Baronet
Mother: Mary Assheton Baroness Curzon 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Vavasour 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Vavasour 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Peter Vavasour of Spaldington 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Vavasour 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
GrandMother: Mary Vavasour Lady Assheton 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England