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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Earl Gloucester is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically.
There have been four creations of Earl Gloucester:
1st. 1121. Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester. Extinct. 24th June 1314. Battle of Bannockburn.
2nd. August 1297. Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford. Extinct. 5th April 1325.
3rd. January 1337. Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester. Extinct. 10th November 1347.
4th. 29th September 1397. Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester. Forfeit. 13th January 1400.
Earl Gloucester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Succeeded Countesses of England, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
1121. Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 22) created.
31st October 1147. Son William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester succeeded.
1183. Daughter Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 10) succeeded.
1204. Fourth Cousin Once Removed Amaury VI Montfort 5th Count Évreux 4th Earl Gloucester succeeded.
1217. Fourth Cousin Twice Removed Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford (age 37) succeeded.
25th October 1230. Son Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford (age 8) succeeded.
14th July 1262. Son Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 18) succeeded.
7th December 1295. Son Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford (age 4) succeeded.
24th June 1314. Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford extinct. See Battle of Bannockburn.
In June 1119 Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 20) and Mabel Fitzhamon Countess Gloucester were married at Lisieux, Calvados, Basse Normandie. She by marriage Countess Gloucester. He the illegitmate son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 51) and Daughter Gay.
In 1121 Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 22) was created 1st Earl Gloucester.
On 31st October 1147 Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 48) died. His son William succeeded 2nd Earl Gloucester.
In or before 1151 William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester. She the daughter of Robert Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 46) and Amice Gael Countess Leicester. He the son of Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester and Mabel Fitzhamon Countess Gloucester. They were fourth cousins. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
In 1183 William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester died. His daughter Isabella (age 10) succeeded 3rd Countess Gloucester.
On 29th August 1189 King John of England (age 22) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 16) were married at Marlborough Castle [Map]. He by marriage Earl Gloucester. See Gesta Regis Henrici and Gesta Regis Henrici by Benedict of Peterborough. She the daughter of William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester. He the son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 67). They were half second cousins. She a great granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Around 1204 Amaury VI Montfort 5th Count Évreux 4th Earl Gloucester succeeded 4th Earl Gloucester.
On 20th January 1214 Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 23) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 41) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex, Countess Gloucester. She the daughter of William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester. He the son of Geoffrey Fitzpeter 1st Earl Essex and Beatrice Saye.
In 1217 Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford (age 64) died. His son Gilbert (age 37) succeeded 5th Earl Gloucester, 4th Earl Hertford, 7th Lord Clare.
In or before 1218 Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford (age 37) and Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke (age 71) and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke (age 45). He the son of Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford and Amice Fitzrobert Countess Hertford. They were third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
On 25th October 1230 Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford (age 50) died. His son Richard (age 8) succeeded 6th Earl Gloucester, 5th Earl Hertford, 8th Lord Clare, 2nd Lord Glamorgan.
Before November 1237 Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford (age 15) and Margaret Burgh Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 15) were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. She the daughter of Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 67) and Margaret Dunkeld Countess Kent (age 44). He the son of Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford and Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford (age 37). They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
After November 1237 Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford (age 15) and Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 14) were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. She the daughter of John Lacy Earl Lincoln (age 45) and Margaret Quincy 3rd Countess Lincoln and Pembroke (age 31). He the son of Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford and Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford (age 37). They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
On 14th July 1262 Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford (age 39) died. His son Gilbert (age 18) succeeded 7th Earl Gloucester, 6th Earl Hertford, 9th Lord Clare, 3rd Lord Glamorgan. Alice or Alix Lusignan Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 26) by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford.
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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On 2nd May 1290 Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 46) and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 18) were married at Clerkenwell [Map]. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of King Edward I of England (age 50) and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (age 49). He the son of Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford and Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford. They were half fifth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
On 7th December 1295 Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 52) died at Monmouth Castle [Map]. He buried at Tewkesbury Abbey [Map]. His son Gilbert (age 4) succeeded 8th Earl Gloucester, 7th Earl Hertford, 8th Lord Clare, 4th Lord Glamorgan.
On 29th September 1308 (possibly 30th) in a Siblings Marriage de Clare siblings married de Burgh siblings at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map] in the presence of King Edward II of England (age 24).
John Burgh (age 22) and Elizabeth Clare Lady Verdun (age 13) were married. She the daughter of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford. He the son of Richard "Red Earl" Burgh 2nd Earl of Ulster (age 49) and Margaret Burgh Countess Ulster. They were sixth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford (age 17) and Matilda Burgh Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. She the daughter of Richard "Red Earl" Burgh 2nd Earl of Ulster and Margaret Burgh Countess Ulster. He the son of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford. They were sixth cousins. He a grandson of King Edward I of England.
On 24th June 1314 the Scottish army of King Robert the Bruce I of Scotland (age 39) including, James "Black" Douglas (age 28), heavily defeated the English army led by King Edward II of England (age 30) at the Battle of Bannockburn.
Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford (age 23) was killed. Earl Gloucester, Earl Hertford extinct.
John Comyn 4th Lord Baddenoch (age 20), Robert Felton 1st Baron Felton (age 44) and William Vesci were killed.
William Marshal 1st Baron Marshal (age 36) was killed. His son John (age 22) succeeded 2nd Baron Marshal.
Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford (age 40) was killed. His son Roger (age 14) succeeded 2nd Baron de Clifford.
John Lovell 2nd Baron Lovel (age 25) was killed. His son John succeeded 3rd Baron Lovel of Titchmarsh.
Henry Bohun was killed by King Robert the Bruce I of Scotland. He was buried in Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucestershire [Map].
Walter Fauconberg 2nd Baron Fauconberg (age 50) possilby died although his death is also reported as being on 31 Dec 1318.
Bartholomew Badlesmere 1st Baron Badlesmere (age 38), Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex (age 38), Goronwy ap Tudur Hen Tudor, Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan (age 35), Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 39) and Robert Umfraville 8th Earl Angus (age 37) fought.
Pain Tiptoft 1st Baron Tibetot (age 34) was killed. His son John succeeded 2nd Baron Tibetot.
John Montfort 2nd Baron Montfort (age 23) was killed. Peter Montfort 3rd Baron Montfort (age 23) succeeded 3rd Baron Montfort.
Thomas Grey (age 34) undertook a suicidal charge that contributed to the English defeat and subsequently blemished his career.
William Latimer 2nd Baron Latimer of Corby (age 38) was captured.
Michael Poynings (age 44) was killed.
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Earl Gloucester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
August 1297. Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 27) created.
5th April 1325. Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford extinct.
In August 1297 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 27) was created 1st Earl Gloucester, 1st Earl Hertford. There is some uncertainty as to whether these creations existed, or were created for life only, since they do appear to have been inherited, or whether there is confusion around his having been married to Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 25), the widow of the seventh Earl of the first creation Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford.
On 5th April 1325 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 55) died. Earl Gloucester, Earl Hertford extinct. His son Thomas (age 23) succeeded 2nd Baron Monthermer.
Earl Gloucester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
January 1337. Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester (age 46) created. See 1337 Creation of Earls.
10th November 1347. Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester extinct.
In January 1337 King Edward III of England (age 24) created a number of new Earldom's probably in preparation for his forthcoming war against France...
William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury (age 36) was created 1st Earl Salisbury. Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury (age 33) by marriage Countess Salisbury.
William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton (age 27) was created 1st Earl of Northampton. Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton (age 24) by marriage Countess of Northampton.
Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester (age 46) was created 1st Earl Gloucester probably as compensation for his daughter Margaret Audley Countess Stafford (age 19) having been abducted by Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford (age 35).
Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk (age 38) was created 1st Earl Suffolk. Margaret Norwich Countess Suffolk (age 51) by marriage Countess Suffolk.
On 10th November 1347 Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester (age 56) died at Tonbridge, Kent [Map]. He was buried at Tonbridge Priory, Kent [Map]. Earl Gloucester extinct. Baron Audley of Stratton Audley in Oxfordshire 1317dormant.
Earl Gloucester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Forfeit Earldoms of England.
Summary
29th September 1397. Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 24) created.
13th January 1400. Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester forfeit.
On 29th September 1397 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 24) was created 1st Earl Gloucester. Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 23) by marriage Countess Gloucester.
Before 13th January 1400 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 26) was attainted. Earl Gloucester, Baron Despencer, Baron Despencer, Baron Despencer forfeit. Some sources refer to this as 'degraded' although it isn't clear what the difference is?