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The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet
Maternal Family Tree: Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine
In 1110 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and [his mother] Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou were married. She by marriage Countess Anjou. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Elias La Flèche De Baugency I Count Maine and [his grandmother] Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine. He the son of [his grandfather] Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and [his grandmother] Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France.
On 24th August 1113 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy was born to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou.
On 7th January 1114 Henry V Holy Roman Emperor and [his future wife] Empress Matilda were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of [his future father-in-law] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England.
In 1126 [his mother] Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou died.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1127. This year held the [his future father-in-law] King Henry his court at Christmas in Windsor. There was David the king of the Scots, and all the head men that were in England, learned and lewd. And there he engaged the archbishops, and bishops, and abbots, and earls, and all the thanes that were there, to swear England and Normandy after his day into the hands of his daughter [his future wife] Athelicia, who was formerly the wife of the Emperor of Saxony. Afterwards he sent her to Normandy; and with her went her brother [his illegitimate brother-in-law] Robert, Earl of Glocester, and Brian, son of the Earl Alan Fergan;154 and he let her wed the son of the [his father] Earl of Anjou, whose name was Geoffry Martel. All the French and English, however, disapproved of this; but the king did it for to have the alliance of the Earl of Anjou, and for to have help against his nephew William.
Note 154. See an account of him in "Ord. Vit." 544. Conan, another son of this Alan, Earl of Brittany, married a daughter of Henry I.
On 10th June 1128 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy was knighted by [his future father-in-law] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England in preparation for his wedding to Henry's daughter [his future wife] Empress Matilda.
On 17th June 1128 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and Empress Matilda were married. She the daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou.
Around 1129 [his illegitimate son] Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey was born illegitimately to Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and Mistress Unknown.
In 1129 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem travelled to Jerusalem on pilgrimage. His son Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy was appointed Count Anjou.
On 2nd June 1129 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and [his step-mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem were married at Jerusalem. She by marriage Countess Anjou. Her father had written to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem requesting the marriage since he had no male heirs. She the daughter of Baldwin II King Jerusalem. He the son of [his grandfather] Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and [his grandmother] Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France.
On 5th March 1133 [his son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England was born to Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and [his wife] Empress Matilda at Le Mans.
On 1st June 1134 [his son] Geoffrey Plantagenet Count Nantes was born to Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and [his wife] Empress Matilda at Rouen, France or Argentan.
Chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon 1135. [1st December 1135]. In his thirty-fifth year [his father-in-law] King Henry still continued in Normandy, though he often proposed to return to England, an intention which was never fulfilled. His [his wife] daughter detained him on account of sundry disagreements, which had their origin in various causes, between the king and the Count of Anjou, and which were fomented by the arts of his daughter. These disputes irritated the king, and roused an ill feeling, which some have said resulted in a natural torpor, which was the cause of his death. For, returning from hunting at St.Denys in the "Wood of Lions," he partook of some lampreys, of which he was fond, though they always disagreed with him; and though his physician recommended him to abstain, the king would not submit to his salutary advice; according to what is written:
"Men strive 'gainst rules, and seek forbidden things."
On 22nd July 1136 [his son] William Plantagenet was born to Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and [his wife] Empress Matilda at Argentan or Angers.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1140. And the earl stole out, and went after [his illegitimate brother-in-law] Robert, Earl of Glocester, and brought him thither with a large army. And they fought strenuously on Candlemas day against their lord, and took him; for his men forsook him and fled. And they led him to Bristol, and there put him into prison in close quarters. Then was all England stirred more than ere was, and all evil was in the land. Afterwards came the daughter of [his father-in-law] King Henry, who had been [his wife] Empress of Germany, and now was Countess of Anjou. She came to London; but the people of London attempted to take her, and she fled, losing many of her followers. After this the Bishop of Winchester, Henry, the brother of King Stephen, spake with Earl Robert, and with the empress, and swore them oaths, "that he never more would hold with the king, his brother," and cursed all the men that held with him, and told them, that he would give them up Winchester; and he caused them to come thither. When they were therein, then came the king's queen with all her strength, and beset them, so that there was great hunger therein. When they could no longer hold out, then stole they out, and fled; but those without were aware, and followed them, and took Robert, Earl of Glocester, and led him to Rochester, and put him there into prison; but the empress fled into a monastery. Then went the wise men between the king's friends and the earl's friends; and settled so that they should let the king out of prison for the earl, and the earl for the king; and so they did. After this settled the king and Earl Randolph at Stamford, and swore oaths, and plighted their troth, that neither should betray the other. But it availed nothing. For the king afterwards took him at Northampton, through wicked counsel, and put him into prison; and soon after he let him out again, through worse counsel, on the condition that he swore by the crucifix, and found hostages, that he would give up all his castles. Some he gave up, and some gave he not up; and did then worse than he otherwise would. Then was England very much divided. Some held with the king, and some with the empress; for when the king was in prison, the earls and the rich men supposed that he never more would come out: and they settled with the empress, and brought her into Oxford, and gave her the borough. When the king was out, he heard of this, and took his force, and beset her in the tower.165 And they let her down in the night from the tower by ropes. And she stole out, and fled, and went on foot to Wallingford. Afterwards she went over sea; and those of Normandy turned all from the king to the Earl of Anjou; some willingly, and some against their will; for he beset them till they gave up their castles, and they had no help of the king. Then went Eustace, the king's son, to France, and took to wife the sister of the King of France. He thought to obtain Normandy thereby; but he sped little, and by good right; for he was an evil man. Wherever he was, he did more evil than good; he robbed the lands, and levied heavy guilds upon them. He brought his wife to England, and put her into the castle at…166 Good woman she was; but she had little bliss with him; and Christ would not that he should long reign. He therefore soon died, and his mother also. And the Earl of Anjou died; and his son Henry took to the earldom. And the Queen of France parted from the king; and she came to the young Earl Henry; and he took her to wife, and all Poitou with her. Then went he with a large force into England, and won some castles; and the king went against him with a much larger force. Nevertheless, fought they not; but the archbishop and the wise men went between them, and made this settlement: That the king should be lord and king while he lived, and after his day Henry should be king: that Henry should take him for a father; and he him for a son: that peace and union should be betwixt them, and in all England. This and the other provisions that they made, swore the king and the earl to observe; and all the bishops, and the earls, and the rich men. Then was the earl received at Winchester, and at London, with great worship; and all did him homage, and swore to keep the peace. And there was soon so good a peace as never was there before. Then was the king stronger than he ever was before. And the earl went over sea; and all people loved him; for he did good justice, and made peace.
Note 165. The tower of the castle at Oxford, built by D'Oyley, which still remains.
Note 166. The MS. is here deficient.
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In 1141 [his illegitimate brother-in-law] Reginald de Dunstanville Fitzroy 1st Earl Cornwall was created 1st Earl Cornwall.
On 13th November 1143 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem died in a hunting accident. His wife [his step-mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem continued to reign in her own right with their son [his half-brother] Baldwin III King Jerusalem.
In 1144 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy by conquest Duke Normandy. [his wife] Empress Matilda by marriage Duchess Normandy.
On 31st October 1147 [his illegitimate brother-in-law] Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester died. William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester succeeded 2nd Earl Gloucester.
On 7th September 1151 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy died at Château du Loir. He was buried at St Julien's Cathedral.
On 10th September 1167 [his former wife] Empress Matilda died. She was buried under the high alter at Bec Abbey during a service performed by Rotrou Newburgh Archbishop of Rouen. Her tomb's epitaph reads 'Great by birth, greater by marriage, greatest in her offspring: here lies Matilda, the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry'.
[his illegitimate daughter] Emma Plantagenet was born illegitimately to Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and Mistress Unknown.
Archaeologia Volume 29 Section III. The volume of Monumental Effigies, drawn and engraved by Mr. Charles Alfred Stothard, F.S.A. the late draughtsman to the Society, is so generally known and so highly appreciated wherever known, that it is only necessary, in order to introduce the subject of the following remarks, to remind the reader that it was left imperfect, in consequence of the author's sudden death, from a lamentable accident which occurred in the pursuit of his congenial profession. It was a part of Mr. Stothard's plan to have included in his work a complete series of the effigies of the Kings and Queens of this country; and for that purpose he visited France, and brought from Fontevraud his drawings of the statues of [his son] Henry the Second and his Queen, of [his grandson] Richard the First, and of [his granddaughter-in-law] Isabella Queen of John; and from the Abbey of L'Espan, near le Mans, the effigy of [his granddaughter-in-law] Berengaria, Queen of Richard I., as well as the figure of Geoffrey, Comte of Anjou, from an enamelled Plate in the church of St. Julien at le Mans. There were others, however, and those by no means inferior to any in beauty or interest, which had been left, perhaps from the very reason of their being within immediate reach, until some convenient opportunity, which was frustrated by the premature close of the artist's career. I allude particularly to thosea of Queen Philippa, King Richard the Second, and his Queen Anne of Bohemia, all in Westminster Abbey.
Note a. Mr. Stothard also intended to have included in his work all the knightly effigies in the Temple church. Those he omitted will be given by the Messrs. Hollis.
