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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1496 Edward Hall was born to [his father] John Hall of Northall Kynnersley Shropshire.
In 1514 Edward Hall (age 18) was admitted to King's College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1518 Edward Hall (age 22) graduated Bachelor of Arts.
In 1521 Edward Hall (age 25) was a student at Gray's Inn.
On 22nd February 1528 [his father] John Hall of Northall Kynnersley Shropshire died.
In 1529 Edward Hall (age 33) was elected MP Much Wenlock.
In 1539 Edward Hall (age 43) was elected MP Much Wenlock.
In 1542 Edward Hall (age 46) was elected MP Bridgnorth.
In 1545 Edward Hall (age 49) was elected MP Bridgnorth.
Around 1546 Edward Hall (age 50) made his will in which he names his brother William Hall is named as executor.
Around May 1547 Edward Hall (age 51) died. He was buried in St Benet Sherehog Cordwainer Ward.
Chronicle of Edward Hall [1496-1548]. Or to give it its full name, The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke, was first published in 1548. It was written by Edward Hall.