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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Paternal Family Tree: De La Pole
Maternal Family Tree: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350 1403
Around January 1450 [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 7] and [his step-mother] Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond [aged 6] were married. The date subject to debate. Papal dispensation was granted on 18 August 1450. Margaret never recognised this marriage, and considered her next husband her first; as confirmed by her 1472 will. She the daughter of John Beaufort 1st Duke of Somerset and Margaret Beauchamp Duchess Somerset [aged 40]. He the son of [his grandfather] William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk [aged 53] and [his grandmother] Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk [aged 46]. They were half third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In February 1453 [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 10] and [his step-mother] Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond [aged 9] marriage annulled.
Before February 1458 [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 15] and [his mother] Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Suffolk. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York [aged 46] and [his grandmother] Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York [aged 42]. He the son of William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk and Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk [aged 54]. They were half third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In 1480 Richard Pole "White Rose" was born to John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 37] and Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [aged 35]. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.
Before 1489 [his brother-in-law] Henry Lovell 9th Baron Marshal 8th Baron Morley [aged 12] and [his sister] Elizabeth Pole Baroness Marshal and Morley [aged 20] were married. She the daughter of [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 46] and [his mother] Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [aged 44]. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 24th December 1489 [his sister] Elizabeth Pole Baroness Marshal and Morley [aged 21] died in Hallingbury Morley, Essex.
Before 27th October 1492 [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 50] died. He was buried at Wingfield, Suffolk. His son [his brother] Edmund [aged 21] succeeded 3rd Duke Suffolk, 3rd Marquess Suffolk, 6th Earl Suffolk, 6th Baron Pole.
Before 10th October 1496 [his brother] Edmund Pole 3rd Duke of Suffolk [aged 25] and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Scrope Duchess Suffolk were married. She by marriage Duchess Suffolk. He the son of [his father] John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk and [his mother] Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [aged 52]. They were half second cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.
Around 1502 William Pole [aged 24] was imprisoned for allegedly plotting against King Henry VII [aged 44] with his brothers Edmund [aged 31] and Richard [aged 22], who fled the country in 1501, after their conspiracy was detected. William Pole remained in prison for thrity-seven years, dying in 1539.
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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After January 1503 [his mother] Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [deceased] died at Wingfield, Suffolk.
On 30th April 1513 [his brother] Edmund Pole 3rd Duke of Suffolk [aged 42] was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map] on the instruction of King Henry VIII after having been imprisoned for seven years. Duke Suffolk, Marquess Suffolk and Earl Suffolk, Baron Pole forfeit.
He, Edmund, was the son of [his mother] Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk, sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III, and George, Duke of Clarence. He, arguably, had a better claim to the throne of England than King Henry VII if King Edward IV's children were illegitimate, and George's children barred from the succession as a consequence of George'a attainder although Anne St Leger's [aged 37] claim better since she descended from an older sister [his aunt] Anne.
He, Edmund, had been given to King Henry VII of England and Ireland as part of the treaty of Malus Intercursus aka Evil Treaty with the condition that he not be executed. King Henry VII in his will instructed his son King Henry VIII to have him executed; an act which attracted the criticism of Montaigne in Chapter 7 of his Essays.
On 24th February 1525 Richard Pole "White Rose" [aged 45] was killed during the Battle of Pavia. Robert Stewart 4th Lord Aubigny [aged 55] fought.
Louis II de la Tremoille [aged 64] was killed.
Unknown Painter. Battle of Pavia with the fallen Richard Pole "White Rose" bottom left corner indicated by "Le Duc de Susfoc dit Blance Rose". The 'Duc de Susfoc' i.e Duke of Suffolk, being a reference to the title Duke Suffolk held by his brother Edmund Pole 3rd Duke of Suffolk who was executed in 1513.
Robert Stewart 4th Lord Aubigny: Robert Stewart 4th Lord Aubigny succeeded 4th Lord Aubigny. Robert Stewart 4th Lord Aubigny and Anne Stewart Lady Aubigny were married. She by marriage Lord Aubigny. He the son of John Stewart 1st Earl Lennox and Margaret Montgomerie Countess Lennox. They were second cousins. Around 1470 he was born to John Stewart 1st Earl Lennox and Margaret Montgomerie Countess Lennox. Around April 1544 Robert Stewart 4th Lord Aubigny died.
Louis II de la Tremoille: On 29th September 1460 he was born to Louis I de la Tremoille.
King Edward III of England 1312 1377
John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster 1340 1399
Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 1364 1425
Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York 1415 1495
Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland 1379 1440
John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 1337 1388
Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby
Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent 1350 1397
Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York 1411 1460
Kings Wessex: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 10 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 16 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 11 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 3 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Malcolm III of Scotland
Kings France: Great x 5 Grand Son of King Philip IV of France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 17 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Kings Spain: Great x 9 Grand Son of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Pole 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Pole
Great x 2 Grandfather: Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk
Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Norwich
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Norwich
Great x 1 Grandfather: Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Wingfield 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Wingfield
Great x 2 Grandmother: Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk
GrandFather: William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford 
9 x Great Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Basset 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Audley Countess Stafford Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Clare Countess Gloucester 
Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick 
8 x Great Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Tosny Countess Warwick 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March 
3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Mortimer Countess Warwick 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King David I of Scotland
Father: John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Geoffrey Chaucer 
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Chaucer
Great x 3 Grandfather: Giles "Payne" Roet 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa Roet
GrandMother: Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Burghesh 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Verdun Baroness Burghesh 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Burghesh 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Kerdeston
Great x 1 Grandmother: Maud Burghesh 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Simon Hanham
Great x 2 Grandmother: Ismania Hanham
Richard Pole "White Rose" 1480-1525 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward II of England 
Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England 
Daughter of King Philip IV of France
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York 
Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England Great Grand Daughter of King Philip III of France
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut Grand Daughter of King Philip III of France
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard of Conisbrough 1st Earl Cambridge Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile 
4 x Great Grand Son of Alfonso II King Aragon
Great x 3 Grandfather: Peter "Cruel" I King Castile 5 x Great Grand Son of Alfonso II King Aragon
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabella of Castile Duchess York 6 x Great Grand Daughter of Alfonso II King Aragon
Great x 4 Grandfather: Juan García Padilla 1st Lord Villagera
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maria Padilla
Great x 4 Grandmother: María González Henestrosa Lady Villagera
GrandFather: Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 3rd Earl March, Earl of Ulster 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Montagu Countess March 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 4th Earl March 3rd Earl of Ulster Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Lionel of Antwerp 1st Duke of Clarence 
Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Philippa Plantagenet Countess March 2nd Countess Ulster Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Burgh Duchess of Clarence 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Mortimer 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Holland Countess March and Ulster 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey 
5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey 
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Mother: Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 6 x Great Grand Son of King David I of Scotland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Euphemia Clavering Baroness Neville Raby 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King David I of Scotland
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley of Stratton Audley 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Iseult Mortimer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy 8 x Great Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Fitzalan Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Idonia Clifford Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Clare Baroness Clifford Baroness Welles 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandMother: Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward II of England Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England Daughter of King Philip IV of France
Great x 2 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England Great Grand Daughter of King Philip III of France
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut Grand Daughter of King Philip III of France
Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland 
Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Giles "Payne" Roet
Great x 2 Grandmother: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster