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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Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet
Maternal Family Tree: Rebecca Child Marchioness Worcester 1666-1712
On 6th June 1682 [his father] Charles Somerset Marquess Worcester [aged 21] and [his mother] Rebecca Child Marchioness Worcester [aged 16] were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Henry Somerset 1st Duke Beaufort [aged 53] and [his grandmother] Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort [aged 51].
On 2nd April 1684 Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort was born to [his father] Charles Somerset Marquess Worcester [aged 23] and [his mother] Rebecca Child Marchioness Worcester [aged 18] at Monmouth Castle [Map].
On 13th July 1698 [his father] Charles Somerset Marquess Worcester [aged 37] died.
On 21st January 1700 [his grandfather] Henry Somerset 1st Duke Beaufort [aged 71] died at Badminton, Gloucestershire. He was buried at Beaufort Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle [Map]. His grandson Henry [aged 15] succeeded 2nd Duke Beaufort, 4th Marquess Worcester, 8th Earl Worcester, 10th Baron Herbert of Raglan.
On 7th July 1702 Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 18] and Mary Sackville 2nd Duchess Beaufort [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of Charles Sackville 6th Earl Dorset 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 59] and Mary Compton Countess Dorset and Middlesex. They were fourth cousins.
In 1705 [his wife] Mary Sackville 2nd Duchess Beaufort [aged 16] died.
On 26th February 1706 Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 21] and Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel 2nd Earl Gainsborough and Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby. They were fourth cousins.
Around 1707. Michael Dahl [aged 48]. Portrait of Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 22]. Powis Castle.
On 23rd March 1707 [his son] Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort was born to Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 22] and [his wife] Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort [aged 20]. He married (1) 28th June 1729 his second cousin Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort, daughter of James Scudamore 3rd Viscount Scudamore and Frances Digby Viscountess Scudamore.
Before 1st March 1709 Henry Bentinck 1st Duke Portland [aged 26] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Noel Duchess Portland [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel 2nd Earl Gainsborough and Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby. He the son of William Bentinck 1st Earl of Portland [aged 59] and Anne Villiers Countess Portland. They were third cousin twice removed.
On 12th September 1709 [his son] Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort was born to Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 25] and [his wife] Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort [aged 22]. His mother Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort died from childbirth the next day. He married 1st May 1740 Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort and had issue.
On 14th September 1711 Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 27] and Mary Osborne Duchess Beaufort [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds [aged 52] and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds [aged 49]. They were fourth cousin once removed.
In 1712 Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 46] appointed Knights of the Garter:
518th Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 27].
519th James Hamilton Duke Hamilton, 1st Duke Brandon [aged 53].
520th Henry Grey 1st Duke Kent [aged 41].
521st John Paulett 1st Earl Paulett [aged 44].
522nd Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 50].
523rd Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [aged 39].
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On 17th July 1712 [his mother] Rebecca Child Marchioness Worcester [aged 46] 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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 16th December 1712 [his brother-in-law] Peregrine Osborne 3rd Duke Leeds [aged 21] and Elizabeth Harley [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 51] and Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. He the son of [his father-in-law] Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds [aged 53] and [his mother-in-law] Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds [aged 50].
On 30th April 1713 [his brother-in-law] Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 29] and [his sister] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Duchess Grafton. He the son of Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton and Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 45]. They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 24th April 1714 Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 30] died. He was buried at St Michael and all Angels Church, Badminton. His son Henry [aged 7] succeeded 3rd Duke Beaufort, 5th Marquess Worcester, 9th Earl Worcester, 11th Baron Herbert of Raglan.
In 1722 [his former wife] Mary Osborne Duchess Beaufort [aged 33] died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 17 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 18 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 27 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 21 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: William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Christina North Countess of Worcester
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Somerset 1st Marquess Worcester 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Hastings 2nd Earl Huntingdon 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Pole Countess Huntingdon 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Somerset 2nd Marquess Worcester 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Russell 9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret St John Countess Bedford 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Russell Countess Worcester 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Cooke
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cooke 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Fitzwilliam 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandFather: Henry Somerset 1st Duke Beaufort 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Dormer 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Dormer 1st Baron Dormer
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Catesby 
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Dormer 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Browne 1st Viscount Montagu 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Browne Baroness Dormer 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Magdalen Dacre Viscountess Montague 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Dormer 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Molyneux 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Molyneux 1st Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Alice Molyneux 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Gerard
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Gerard Lady Molyneux
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Ratclyffe
Father: Charles Somerset Marquess Worcester 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Capell 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Arthur Capell 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Manners 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Capell 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Grey 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Grey 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Browne 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Arthur Capell 1st Baron Capell Hadham 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Helen Roper 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Theodosia Montagu 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Harrington 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Harrington
Great x 4 Grandmother: Lucy Sidney 
GrandMother: Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Morrison 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Charles Morrison 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Bridget Hussey Countess Bedford 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Morrison 1st Baronet 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Clerke
Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothea Clerke
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Morrison Baroness Capell Hadham 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Hicks
Great x 3 Grandfather: Baptist Hicks 1st Viscount Campden
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Hicks Lady Cooper and Morrison
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard May
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth May Viscountess Campden
Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Child
GrandFather: Josiah Child
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Roycroft