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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Mulgrave Castle is in Whitby.
On 22nd July 1249 Piers Mauley 1st Baron de Mauley was born to Piers Mauley [aged 20] at Mulgrave Castle. He married in or before 1281 Nicola Gaunt and had issue.
Around 1251 Robert de Mauley was born to Piers Mauley [aged 22] at Mulgrave Castle.
Around 1284 Piers Mauley 2nd Baron de Mauley was born to Piers Mauley 1st Baron de Mauley [aged 34] and Nicola Gaunt [aged 34] at Mulgrave Castle. He married before 1300 Eleanor Furnival Baroness Mauley, daughter of Thomas Furnival 1st Baron Furnivall and Joan Despencer Baroness Furnivall, and had issue.
In 1300 Piers Mauley 3rd Baron de Mauley was born to Piers Mauley 2nd Baron de Mauley [aged 16] and Eleanor Furnival Baroness Mauley [aged 24] at Mulgrave Castle. He married before 1330 his sixth cousin Margaret Clifford Baroness Mauley, daughter of Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford and Maud Clare Baroness Clifford Baroness Welles, and had issue.
On 8th September 1308 Piers Mauley 1st Baron de Mauley [aged 59] died at Mulgrave Castle. His son Piers [aged 24] succeeded 2nd Baron Mauley. Eleanor Furnival Baroness Mauley [aged 32] by marriage Baroness Mauley.
Around 1331 Piers Mauley 4th Baron de Mauley was born to Piers Mauley 3rd Baron de Mauley [aged 31] and Margaret Clifford Baroness Mauley [aged 24] at Mulgrave Castle. He married (1) 18th November 1356 his second cousin once removed Elizabeth Meinhill Baroness Darcy Knayth and Haversham and had issue (2) before 9th October 1371 Constance Sutton Baroness Haversham.
In 1335 Eleanor Furnival Baroness Mauley [aged 59] died at Mulgrave Castle.
On 23rd May 1348 Piers Mauley 2nd Baron de Mauley [aged 64] died at Mulgrave Castle. His son Piers [aged 48] succeeded 3rd Baron Mauley. Margaret Clifford Baroness Mauley [aged 41] by marriage Baroness Mauley.
On 18th January 1355 Piers Mauley 3rd Baron de Mauley [aged 55] died at Mulgrave Castle. His son Piers [aged 24] succeeded 4th Baron Mauley.
After 18th November 1356 Piers Mauley was born to Piers Mauley 4th Baron de Mauley [aged 25] and Elizabeth Meinhill Baroness Darcy Knayth and Haversham [aged 25] at Mulgrave Castle. He married 1371 his third cousin twice removed Margery Sutton Baroness Ferrers Harewood Baroness Haversham and had issue.
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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On 6th September 1415 Piers Mauley 5th Baron de Mauley [aged 38] died at Mulgrave Castle. Baron Mauley abeyant between his sisters Constance Mauley Lady Morley [aged 32] and Elizabeth Mauley [aged 32].