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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On 29th March 1763 Samuel Woodford was born in Castle Cary, Somerset.
On 8th March 1782 Samuel Woodford [aged 18] became a student at the Royal Academy.
Around 1785. Samuel Woodford [aged 21]. Portrait of Anne Hoare.
Anne Hoare: On 27th June 1737 she was born to Henry Hoare "The Magnificient" and Susan Colt. Before 1758 Richard Hoare 1st Baronet and she were married. They were first cousins. On 5th May 1759 Anne Hoare died.
Around 1786. Samuel Woodford [aged 22]. Portrait of Richard Hoare 1st Baronet [aged 50].
Around 1793. Samuel Woodford [aged 29]. Portrait of Hester Lyttelton.
Hester Lyttelton: she was born to William Henry Lyttelton 1st Baron Lyttelton. On 18th August 1783 Richard Colt Hoare 2nd Baronet and she were married. On 22nd August 1785 Hester Lyttelton died from childbirth giving birth to her second child who also died.
In 1794. Samuel Woodford [aged 30]. Portrait of Maria Palmer Acland.
Maria Palmer Acland: she was born to Arthur Palmer Acland. On 25th August 1784 Henry Hoare 3rd Baronet and she were married. They were second cousins. On 31st January 1845 Maria Palmer Acland died.
Around 1797. Samuel Woodford [aged 33]. Portrait of Henry Hoare [aged 13] as a boy.
Henry Hoare: In 1784 he was born to Richard Colt Hoare 2nd Baronet and Hester Lyttelton. In 1836 Henry Hoare died.
Around 1798. Samuel Woodford [aged 34]. Portrait of Frances Anne Acland [aged 63] as a boy.
Frances Anne Acland: In 1735 she was born to Richard Acland. After 1759 Richard Hoare 1st Baronet and she were married. On 10th September 1800 Frances Anne Acland died at Barn Elms.
In 1804. Samuel Woodford [aged 40]. Portrait of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 65].
In 1805. Samuel Woodford [aged 41]. Self Portrait.
Before 1808. Samuel Woodford [aged 44]. Portrait of William Henry Lyttelton 1st Baron Lyttelton [aged 83].
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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In 1809. Samuel Woodford [aged 45]. Portrait of William Fenton [aged 61].
William Fenton: In January 1747 he was born in St David's. In November 1821 he died in Plas Glynamel Fishguard.
On 27th July 1817 Samuel Woodford [aged 54] died.