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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Paternal Family Tree: Byron
Around 1412 Margaret Byron was born to [her father] John Byron (age 41).
In 1429 [her son] William Atherton was born to William Atherton (age 24) and Margaret Byron (age 17) at Atherton, Lancashire.
Around 1438 [her son] Nicholas Atherton was born to William Atherton (age 33) and Margaret Byron (age 26) at Atherton, Lancashire.
Before 1440 Robert Harcourt (age 29) and Margaret Byron (age 27) were married.
Around 1440 [her son] John Harcourt was born to [her husband] Robert Harcourt (age 29) and Margaret Byron (age 28) at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map]. He married Anne Norreys and had issue.
Before 1442 [her brother-in-law] Walter Blount 1st Baron Mountjoy (age 25) and [her sister] Helena Byron Baroness Mountjoy (age 25) were married.
Around 1443 [her son] Robert Harcourt was born to [her husband] Robert Harcourt (age 32) and Margaret Byron (age 31) at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
Around 1445 [her son] Thomas Harcourt was born to [her husband] Robert Harcourt (age 34) and Margaret Byron (age 33) at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
Around 1447 [her son] George Harcourt was born to [her husband] Robert Harcourt (age 36) and Margaret Byron (age 35) at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
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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In 1465 [her father] John Byron (age 94) died at Clayton.
On 20th June 1465 [her brother-in-law] Walter Blount 1st Baron Mountjoy (age 49) was created 1st Baron Mountjoy. [her sister] Helena Byron Baroness Mountjoy (age 49) by marriage Baroness Mountjoy.
In 1468 [her sister] Helena Byron Baroness Mountjoy (age 52) died.
On 14th November 1470 [her husband] Robert Harcourt (age 60) was killed by an adherent of the Staffords with whom he had a long running feud for Robert having murdered Robert Stafford in 1448 at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
Monumental Effigies. [her former husband] Sir Robert Harcourt KG (died 1471) and Margaret (Byron) (age 59) his wife in Stanton Harcourt Church, Oxfordshire.
Robert Harcourt: On 20th September 1410 he was born to Thomas Harcourt at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map]. Before 1440 Robert Harcourt and Margaret Byron were married. On 14th November 1470 Robert Harcourt was killed by an adherent of the Staffords with whom he had a long running feud for Robert having murdered Robert Stafford in 1448 at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
On 26th June 1485 [her son] John Harcourt (age 45) died.
On 25th May 1486 Margaret Byron (age 74) died at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map]. She was buried at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
[her daughter] Joan Harcourt was born to Robert Harcourt and Margaret Byron.
[her daughter] Agnes Harcourt was born to Robert Harcourt and Margaret Byron. She married William Cope.
[her daughter] Elizabeth Harcourt was born to Robert Harcourt and Margaret Byron.
[her daughter] Margaret Harcourt was born to Robert Harcourt and Margaret Byron.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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William Atherton and Margaret Byron were married.
Maurice Berkeley and Margaret Byron were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years; she, unusually, being older than him.
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Byron 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Byron of Clayton
Great x 1 Grandfather: James Byron
GrandFather: Richard Byron
Father: John Byron