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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Paternal Family Tree: Grey
In 1762 [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey [aged 32] and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 18] were married.
On 13th March 1764 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey was born to [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey [aged 34] and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 20].
On 20th February 1792 [his illegitimate daughter] Eliza Courtenay was born illegitimately to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 27] and Georgiana Spencer Duchess Devonshire [aged 34] at Aix en Provence whilst she, Georgiana Spencer Duchess Devonshire was married to William Cavendish 5th Duke Devonshire [aged 44]. The Duchess was forced to relinquish the child shortly after her birth, to be raised by Charles Grey's parents, [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey [aged 62] and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 48]. The surname Courtenay was derived from her great-uncle, her maternal grandmother's brother, William Poyntz [aged 57].
On 18th November 1794 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 30] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of William Ponsonby 1st Baron Ponsonby of Imokilly in County Cork [aged 50] and Louisa Molesworth Countess Fitzwilliam [aged 45]. He the son of Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey [aged 65] and Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 50].
In 1796 [his daughter] Stillborn Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 31] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 19].
On 7th April 1797 [his daughter] Louisa Elizabeth Grey Countess Durham was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 33] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 21]. She married 9th December 1816 John "Radical Jack" Lambton 1st Earl Durham and had issue.
On 10th July 1798 [his daughter] Elizabeth Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 34] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 22]. She married 13th May 1826 John Crocker Bulteel and had issue.
On 30th August 1799 [his daughter] Caroline Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 35] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 23]. She married 15th January 1827 George Barrington, son of George Barrington 5th Viscount Barrington and Elizabeth Adair Viscountess Barrington.
On 17th February 1801 [his daughter] Georgiana Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 36] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 24].
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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On 28th December 1802 [his son] Henry George Grey 3rd Earl Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 38] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 26]. He married 9th August 1832 Maria Copley 3rd Countess Grey, daughter of Joseph Copley 3rd Baronet and Cecil Hamilton Marchioness Abercorn.
On 15th March 1804 [his son] Charles Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 40] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 28]. He married 26th July 1836 Caroline Eliza Farquhar, daughter of Thomas Harvie Farquhar 2nd Baronet, and had issue.
On 23rd August 1805 [his son] Admiral Frederick William Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 41] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 29]. He married 20th July 1846 Barbara Sullivan.
On 2nd March 1807 [his daughter] Mary Grey Viscountess Halifax was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 42] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 30]. She married 29th July 1829 Charles Wood 1st Viscount Halifax, son of Francis Lindley Wood 2nd Baronet and Anne Buck Lady Wood, and had issue.
On 14th November 1807 [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey [aged 78] died. His son Charles [aged 43] succeeded 2nd Earl Grey, 2nd Viscount Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 2nd Baron Grey of Howick in Northumberland. [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 31] by marriage Countess Grey.
In 1808 [his uncle] Henry Grey 2nd Baronet [aged 86] died. His nephew Charles [aged 43] succeeded 3rd Baronet Grey of Howick in Northumberland.
On 13th May 1808 [his son] William Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 44] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 32]. He died aged six in 1815.
On 21st March 1809 [his brother] Bishop Edward Grey [aged 26] and [his sister-in-law] Charlotte Elizabeth Croft were married. He the son of [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 65].
On 16th May 1809 [his son] Admiral George Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 45] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 33]. He married 20th January 1845 Jane Frances Stuart and had issue.
On 29th December 1810 [his son] Thomas Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 46] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 34].
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 2nd March 1812 [his son] John Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 47] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 35]. He married (1) July 1836 Georgiana Elizabeth Charlotte Hervey, daughter of Frederick William Hervey 1st Marquess of Bristol and Elizabeth Albana Upton (2) 11th April 1874 Helen Spalding.
On 31st March 1813 [his son] Francis Richard Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 49] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 37]. He married 12th August 1840 his third cousin Elizabeth Dorothy Anne Howard, daughter of George Howard 6th Earl Carlisle and Georgiana Cavendish Countess Carlisle.
On 16th October 1814 [his son] Henry Cavendish Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 50] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 38].
On 10th December 1814 [his son-in-law] Robert Charles Ellice [aged 30] and [his illegitimate daughter] Eliza Courtenay [aged 22] were married. She the illegitmate daughter of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 50] and Georgiana Spencer Duchess Devonshire.
On 11th February 1815 [his son] William Grey [aged 6] died.
On 9th December 1816 [his son-in-law] John "Radical Jack" Lambton 1st Earl Durham [aged 24] and Louisa Elizabeth Grey Countess Durham [aged 19] were married at Howick Hall, Northumberland [Map]. She the daughter of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 52] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 40].
On 15th February 1819 [his son] William George Grey was born to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 54] and [his wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 42]. He married 20th September 1858 Theresa Stedink.
1820. Thomas Phillips [aged 49]. Portrait of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 55].
In 1822 [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey [aged 78] died.
On 9th September 1824 [his brother] Bishop Edward Grey [aged 42] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Adair were married. He the son of [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey.
On 13th May 1826 [his son-in-law] John Crocker Bulteel [aged 33] and Elizabeth Grey [aged 27] were married. She the daughter of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 62] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 50].
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 8th July 1826 [his son] Thomas Grey [aged 15] died.
On 15th January 1827 [his son-in-law] George Barrington [aged 32] and Caroline Grey [aged 27] were married. She the daughter of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 62] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 50].
On 29th July 1829 [his son-in-law] Charles Wood 1st Viscount Halifax [aged 28] and Mary Grey Viscountess Halifax [aged 22] were married. She the daughter of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 65] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 53].
In November 1830 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 66] was appointed Prime Minister.
In 1831 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 66] was appointed 670th Knight of the Garter by King William IV of the United Kingdom [aged 65].
Before 1st June 1831. John Jackson [aged 53]. Portrait of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 67].
On 20th May 1832 [his brother] Bishop Edward Grey [aged 49] was consecrated as Bishop of Hereford.
On 9th August 1832 Henry George Grey 3rd Earl Grey [aged 29] and Maria Copley 3rd Countess Grey [aged 33] were married. She the daughter of Joseph Copley 3rd Baronet [aged 63] and Cecil Hamilton Marchioness Abercorn. He the son of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 68] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 56].
In July 1836 John Grey [aged 24] and Georgiana Elizabeth Charlotte Hervey [aged 34] were married. She the daughter of Frederick William Hervey 1st Marquess of Bristol [aged 66] and Elizabeth Albana Upton [aged 61]. He the son of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 72] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 60].
On 26th July 1836 Charles Grey [aged 32] and Caroline Eliza Farquhar [aged 22] were married. He the son of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 72] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 60].
On 24th July 1837 [his brother] Bishop Edward Grey [aged 55] and [his sister-in-law] Eliza Innes [aged 32] were married. The difference in their ages was 22 years. He the son of [his father] Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey.
On 24th July 1837 [his brother] Bishop Edward Grey [aged 55] died.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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1838. Monument in Grey Square, Newcastle upon Tyne [Map] to Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 73] by Edward Hodges Baily [aged 49].
On 12th August 1840 Francis Richard Grey [aged 27] and Elizabeth Dorothy Anne Howard [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of George Howard 6th Earl Carlisle [aged 66] and Georgiana Cavendish Countess Carlisle [aged 57]. He the son of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 76] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 64]. They were third cousins.
On 26th November 1841 [his daughter] Louisa Elizabeth Grey Countess Durham [aged 44] died.
On 20th January 1845 Admiral George Grey [aged 35] and Jane Frances Stuart [aged 22] were married. He the son of Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 80] and Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 68].
On 17th July 1845 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [aged 81] died. His son Henry [aged 42] succeeded 3rd Earl Grey, 3rd Viscount Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 3rd Baron Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 4th Baronet Grey of Howick in Northumberland. Maria Copley 3rd Countess Grey [aged 46] by marriage Countess Grey.
After 17th July 1845 Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey [deceased] was buried at St Michael and All Angels Howick [Map].
On 26th November 1861 [his former wife] Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby Countess Grey [aged 85] died.
Diary of the Times of George IV Volume 1 Section 1. In the midst of all these political speculations, Lord Grey has made the disputants a low bow, and has gone back to Northumberland, to remain there till the middle of January. I asked Lord Lauderdale, if Lord Grey's friends did not find fault with his being out of the way at such a moment? 'By no means,' answered he with great gravity; 'Lady Grey, is to be confined very soon, and he sacrifices every thing to the consideration of his wife. He was quite in the right. I always do the same thing1.'
Note 1. This is rather a strange affirmation for the man who is surnamed " The Father of Divorces."
Kings Wessex: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 20 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 26 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Grey 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Grey 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Grey 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Grey 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Henry Grey 1st Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Person
Father: Charles Grey 1st Earl Grey 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Wood of Fallodon, Northumberland
GrandMother: Hannah Wood
Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: George Grey
Mother: Elizabeth Grey Countess Grey 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Cuthbert Ogle of Bothal and Kirkley 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Ogle of Kirkley 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Ogle of Sandiford and Kirkley 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Nathaniel Ogle 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Elizabeth Ogle 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England