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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Earl Cowley is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically, Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extant Earldoms of England.
Summary
11th April 1857. Henry Richard Charles Wellesley 1st Earl Cowley (age 52) created.
15th July 1884. Son William Henry Wellesley 2nd Earl Cowley (age 49) succeeded.
28th February 1895. Son Henry Arthur Mornington Wellesley 3rd Earl Cowley (age 29) succeeded.
15th January 1919. Son Christian Arthur Wellesley 4th Earl Cowley (age 28) succeeded.
29th August 1962. Son Denis Wellesley 5th Earl Cowley (age 41) succeeded.
1968. Son Richard Wellesley 6th Earl Cowley (age 21) succeeded.
13th December 1975. Uncle Garret Wellesley 7th Earl Cowley (age 41) succeeded.
17th June 2016. Son Garret Graham Wellesley 8th Earl Cowley (age 51) succeeded.
On 11th April 1857 Henry Richard Charles Wellesley 1st Earl Cowley (age 52) was created 1st Earl Cowley, 1st Viscount Dangan of Meath.
On 15th July 1884 Henry Richard Charles Wellesley 1st Earl Cowley (age 80) died at 20 Albermarle Street. He was buried at Draycott, Wiltshire. His son William (age 49) succeeded 2nd Earl Cowley, 2nd Viscount Dangan of Meath, 3rd Baron Cowley. Emily Gwendoline Williams Countess Cowley (age 45) by marriage Countess Cowley.
On 28th February 1895 William Henry Wellesley 2nd Earl Cowley (age 60) died at Shute Manor Draycott, Wiltshire. His son Henry (age 29) succeeded 3rd Earl Cowley, 3rd Viscount Dangan of Meath, 4th Baron Cowley. Violet Neville Countess Cowley (age 28) by marriage Countess Cowley.
On 14th December 1905 Henry Arthur Mornington Wellesley 3rd Earl Cowley (age 39) and Millicent Florence Eleanor Wilson Countess Cowley (age 33) were married at Colombo, Sri Lanka. She by marriage Countess Cowley. He the son of William Henry Wellesley 2nd Earl Cowley and Emily Gwendoline Williams Countess Cowley (age 66). They were third cousins.
On 19th January 1914 Henry Arthur Mornington Wellesley 3rd Earl Cowley (age 48) and Clare Florence Mary Stapleton Countess Cowley (age 35) were married. She by marriage Countess Cowley. He the son of William Henry Wellesley 2nd Earl Cowley and Emily Gwendoline Williams Countess Cowley (age 74).
On 15th January 1919 Henry Arthur Mornington Wellesley 3rd Earl Cowley (age 53) died at Chippenham, Wiltshire [Map]. His son Christian (age 28) succeeded 4th Earl Cowley, 4th Viscount Dangan of Meath, 5th Baron Cowley.
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 29th August 1962 Christian Arthur Wellesley 4th Earl Cowley (age 71) died. His son Denis (age 41) succeeded 5th Earl Cowley, 5th Viscount Dangan of Meath, 6th Baron Cowley.
In 1968 Denis Wellesley 5th Earl Cowley (age 47) died. His son Richard (age 21) succeeded 6th Earl Cowley, 6th Viscount Dangan of Meath, 7th Baron Cowley.
On 13th December 1975 Richard Wellesley 6th Earl Cowley (age 29) died. His uncle Garret (age 41) succeeded 7th Earl Cowley, 7th Viscount Dangan of Meath, 8th Baron Cowley.
On 17th June 2016 Garret Wellesley 7th Earl Cowley (age 81) died. His son Garret (age 51) succeeded 8th Earl Cowley, 8th Viscount Dangan of Meath, 9th Baron Cowley.