The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.
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Sudeley Castle is in Sudeley, Winchcombe, Castles in Gloucestershire.
Around 1120 Ralph Sudeley was born at Sudeley Castle [Map].
Around 1548 Giles Brydges 3rd Baron Chandos was born to Edmund Brydges 2nd Baron Chandos [aged 26] and Dorothy Braye Baroness Chandos and Knollys [aged 24] at Sudeley Castle [Map]. He married before 1573 his fifth cousin once removed Anne Clinton, daughter of Edward Clinton 1st Earl Lincoln and Ursula Stourton Baroness Clinton, and had issue.
On 30th August 1548 Mary Seymour was born to Thomas Seymour 1st Baron Seymour [aged 40] and Catherine Parr Queen Consort England [aged 36] at Sudeley Castle [Map]. Her mother died six days later.
On 5th September 1548 Catherine Parr Queen Consort England [aged 36] died from childbirth having given birth to her daughter Mary Seymour six days before. She was buried at Sudeley Castle [Map]. William Harvey [aged 38] as Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary was the only herald to attend her funeral.
On 8th April 1554 John Brydges 1st Baron Chandos [aged 62] was given Sudeley Castle [Map] by Queen Mary I of England and Ireland [aged 38].
On 12th April 1557 John Brydges 1st Baron Chandos [aged 65] died at Sudeley Castle [Map]. His son Edmund [aged 35] succeeded 2nd Baron Chandos of Sudeley. Dorothy Braye Baroness Chandos and Knollys [aged 33] by marriage Baroness Chandos of Sudeley.
On 3rd May 1557 John Brydges 1st Baron Chandos [deceased] was buried at the Chapel at Sudeley Castle [Map].
On 2nd December 1777 Horace Beckford aka Pitt-Rivers 3rd Baron Rivers was born to Peter Beckford [aged 37] and Louisa Pitt [aged 23] at Sudeley Castle [Map]. He married 8th April 1788 Frances Rigby and had issue.
On 25th March 1855 John Coucher Dent died. He left Sudeley Castle [Map] to his wife Emma Brocklehurst [aged 31] for her lifetime.
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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On 22nd February 1900 Emma Brocklehurst [aged 76] died. She is commemorated on two brass plaques in the chapel at Sudeley Castle [Map].