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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Before 24th February 1788 [his father] Captain John Lukis [aged 35] and [his mother] Sarah Collings [aged 39] were married.
On 24th February 1788 Frederick Collings Lukis was born to [his father] Captain John Lukis [aged 35] and [his mother] Sarah Collings [aged 39] at La Grange, St Peter Port.
On 17th February 1813 Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 24] and Elizabeth Collings [aged 21] were married. They had three daughters and six sons. They were first cousins.
In 1816 [his mother] Sarah Collings [aged 67] died.
On 8th April 1817 [his son] Reverend William Collins Lukis was born to Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 29].
In 1832 [his father] Captain John Lukis [aged 79] died.
Archaeological Journal Volume 1 Pages 222-232. Archaeological Journal/Volume 1/On the Primeval Antiquities of the Channel Islands by F. C. Lukis [aged 55].
Archaeological Journal Volume 1 Pages 142-151. Observations on the Primeval Antiquities of the Channel Islands by F. C. Lukis [aged 55]
On 28th April 1853 Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 65] became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 8 Pages 35-62. Happily, through the careful investigations of archaeologists in different countries, our knowledge of this subject is becoming pretty exact, as well as extensive. To Mr. Lukis [aged 70] we are indebted for active and careful investigations in the Channel Islands, especially in the island of Guernsey, where he has brought to light much that may greatly assist us in forming just conclusions respecting other places where similarly constructed barrows have been discovered. So much mystery has hitherto hung over the stone chamber, and the ancient mound of earth which occasionally covers it, that much is due to those who have given to the world correct information as to the purposes for which they were designed. Mr. Lukis, with much labour, explored forty of these ancient sepulchral remains in the Channel Islands, and some in France and England, and says: I have found a very remarkable similarity pervading all, as though a definite architectural law had regulated their construction, and a precise plan had determined the mode of interment.... From numerous accounts which have reached us, we have reason to conclude that the same structures are to be found in most parts of the world." This being the testimony of a very careful investigator, we shall go on to see to what class of tumuli, and to what people, the curious sepulchre at Wellow may be referred.
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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On 11th April 1865 [his wife] Elizabeth Collings [aged 74] died.
Frederick Lukis 1865. Archæological Notes Made By Captain Francis Dubois Lukis H.M's 64th Regiment During A Visit To Buxton Derbyshire In 1865 By Frederick C Lukis [aged 78] FSA.
On 15th November 1871 Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 83] died.
Father: Captain John Lukis
GrandFather: Unamed Father Collings
Mother: Sarah Collings