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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In July 1844 [his father] William Clifford [aged 23] and [his step-mother] Frances Kingdon [aged 24] were married.
On 4th May 1845 William Kingdon Clifford was born to William Clifford [aged 24] at Exeter, Devon [Map] and [his step-mother] Frances Kingdon [aged 25].
In 1870, William Kingdon Clifford [aged 25] was part of an expedition to Italy to observe the solar eclipse of 22 December 1870. During that voyage he survived a shipwreck along the Sicilian coast.
In 1874 William Kingdon Clifford [aged 28] was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
On 7th April 1875 William Kingdon Clifford [aged 29] and Lucy Lane [aged 28] were married. They had two children.
In 1876 William Kingdon Clifford [aged 30] published "On the Space-Theory of Matter".
In 1878 William Kingdon Clifford [aged 32] published "Elements of Dynamic: An Introduction to the Study of Motion And Rest In Solid And Fluid Bodies".
1878. John Collier [aged 27]. Portrait of William Kingdon Clifford [aged 32].
In 1878 [his father] William Clifford [aged 57] died.
On 3rd March 1879 William Kingdon Clifford [aged 33] died at Madeira to which he had travelled for his health. He was buried at Highgate Cemetery.
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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On 21st April 1929 [his former wife] Lucy Lane [aged 82] died.