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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Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex is in Baronies of England Alphabetically, Baronies of England Chronologically, Extant Baronies of England.
Summary
24th November 1682. John Bennet 1st Baron Ossulston [aged 66] created.
11th February 1695. Son Charles Bennet 1st Earl Tankerville [aged 21] succeeded.
21st May 1722. Son Charles Bennet 2nd Earl Tankerville [aged 24] succeeded.
13th March 1753. Son Charles Bennet 3rd Earl Tankerville [aged 36] succeeded.
27th October 1767. Son Charles Bennet 4th Earl Tankerville [aged 23] succeeded.
10th December 1822. Son Charles Augustus Bennet 5th Earl Tankerville [aged 46] succeeded.
25th June 1859. Son Charles Bennet 6th Earl Tankerville [aged 49] succeeded.
18th December 1899. Son George Montagu Bennet 7th Earl Tankerville [aged 47] succeeded.
9th July 1931. Son Charles Bennet 8th Earl of Tankerville [aged 33] succeeded.
1971. Son Charles Bennett 9th Earl of Tankerville [aged 49] succeeded.
27th April 1980. Son Peter Bennett 10th Earl of Tankerville [aged 23] succeeded.
On 24th November 1682 John Bennet 1st Baron Ossulston [aged 66] was created 1st Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Bridget Howe Baroness Ossulston by marriage Baroness Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.
On 11th February 1695 John Bennet 1st Baron Ossulston [aged 78] died. He was buried at Harlington. His son Charles [aged 21] succeeded 2nd Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.
On 3rd July 1695 Charles Bennet 1st Earl Tankerville [aged 21] and Mary Grey Baroness Ossulston [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. She the daughter of Ford Grey 1st Earl Tankerville [aged 39] and Mary Berkeley Countess Tankerville. They were fourth cousin once removed.
On 21st May 1722 Charles Bennet 1st Earl Tankerville [aged 48] died. His son Charles [aged 24] succeeded 2nd Earl Tankerville, 3rd Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Camilla Colville Countess Tankerville [aged 25] by marriage Countess Tankerville.
On 13th March 1753 Charles Bennet 2nd Earl Tankerville [aged 55] died. His son Charles [aged 36] succeeded 3rd Earl Tankerville, 4th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Alice Astley Countess Tankerville [aged 36] by marriage Countess Tankerville.
On 27th October 1767 Charles Bennet 3rd Earl Tankerville [aged 51] died. His son Charles [aged 23] succeeded 4th Earl Tankerville, 5th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.
On 10th December 1822 Charles Bennet 4th Earl Tankerville [aged 79] died. His son Charles [aged 46] succeeded 5th Earl Tankerville, 6th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Corisande Armandine Sophie Léonie Hélène Gramont Countess Tankerville [aged 40] by marriage Countess Tankerville.
On 25th June 1859 Charles Augustus Bennet 5th Earl Tankerville [aged 83] died. His son Charles [aged 49] succeeded 6th Earl Tankerville, 7th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Olivia Montagu Countess Tankerville [aged 28] by marriage Countess Tankerville.
On 18th December 1899 Charles Bennet 6th Earl Tankerville [aged 89] died. His son George [aged 47] succeeded 7th Earl Tankerville, 8th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex. Leonora Sophia van Marter Countess of Tancerville by marriage Countess Tankerville.
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 9th July 1931 George Montagu Bennet 7th Earl Tankerville [aged 79] died at Chillingham Castle, Northumberland [Map]. He was buried at St Peter's Church, Chillingham [Map]. His son Charles [aged 33] succeeded 8th Earl Tankerville, 9th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.
In 1971 Charles Bennet 8th Earl of Tankerville [aged 73] died. His son Charles [aged 49] succeeded 9th Earl Tankerville, 10th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.
On 27th April 1980 Charles Bennett 9th Earl of Tankerville [aged 58] died. His son Peter [aged 23] succeeded 10th Earl Tankerville, 11th Baron Ossulston of Ossulston in Middlesex.