Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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Luke Fildes is in Painters.
On 3rd October 1843 Luke Fildes was born.
1895. Luke Fildes (age 51). Portrait of Mary Venetia Cavendish-Bentinck (age 33).
1896. Luke Fildes (age 52). Portrait of Elizabeth Ellen Hulme Lady Lever (age 45).
1897. Luke Fildes (age 53). Portrait of William Lever 1st Viscount Leverhulme (age 45).
1901. Luke Fildes (age 57). Coronation Portrait of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom (age 59).
1901. Luke Fildes (age 57). Coronation Portrait of Alexandra of Denmark Queen Consort England (age 56).
1911. Luke Fildes (age 67). Self-Portrait.
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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1911. Luke Fildes (age 67). Drawing of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom on his deathbed.
1911. Luke Fildes (age 67). Coronation Portrait of King George V of the United Kingdom (age 45).
1912. Luke Fildes (age 68). Portrait of Charles Beilby Stuart-Wortley 1st Baron Stuart (age 60).
In 1915 [his son] Frederick Luke Val Fildes and [his daughter-in-law] Muriel John were married. She the daughter of William Goscombe John (age 54) and Marthe Weiss. He the son of Luke Fildes (age 71).
On 28th February 1927 Luke Fildes (age 83) died.
[his son] Frederick Luke Val Fildes was born to Luke Fildes. His godfather was Valentine Cameron Prinsep. He married 1915 Muriel John, daughter of William Goscombe John and Marthe Weiss.