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 of Cottenham is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically, Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extant Earldoms of England.
Summary
11th June 1850. Charles Christopher Pepys 1st Earl of Cottenham (age 69) created.
29th April 1851. Son Charles Edward Pepys 2nd Earl of Cottenham (age 26) succeeded.
18th February 1863. Brother William John Pepys 3rd Earl of Cottenham (age 37) succeeded.
20th January 1881. Son Kenelm Charles Pepys 4th Earl of Cottenham (age 6) succeeded.
22nd April 1919. Son Kenelm Charles (age 17) succeeded.
29th December 1922. Brother Mark Everard Pepys 6th Earl of Cottenham (age 19) succeeded.
19th July 1943. Brother John Digby Pepys 7th Earl of Cottenham (age 36) succeeded.
12th May 1968. Son Kenelm Charles Pepys 8th Earl of Cottenham (age 19) succeeded.
20th October 2000. Son Mark John Pepys 9th Earl of Cottenham (age 17) succeeded.
On 11th June 1850 Charles Christopher Pepys 1st Earl of Cottenham (age 69) was created 1st Earl of Cottenham, 1st Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey.
On 29th April 1851 Charles Christopher Pepys 1st Earl of Cottenham (age 70) died. His son Charles (age 26) succeeded 2nd Earl of Cottenham, 2nd Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 2nd Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 4th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 5th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 18th February 1863 Charles Edward Pepys 2nd Earl of Cottenham (age 38) died unmarried. His brother William (age 37) succeeded 3rd Earl of Cottenham, 3rd Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 3rd Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 5th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 6th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 11th October 1870 William John Pepys 3rd Earl of Cottenham (age 45) and Theodesia Selina Dallas Countess Cottenham (age 25) were married at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge. She by marriage Countess of Cottenham. He the son of Charles Christopher Pepys 1st Earl of Cottenham and Charlotte Maria Wingfield.
On 20th January 1881 William John Pepys 3rd Earl of Cottenham (age 55) died. His son Kenelm (age 6) succeeded 4th Earl of Cottenham, 4th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 4th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 6th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 7th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 29th November 1899 Kenelm Charles Pepys 4th Earl of Cottenham (age 25) and Rose Neville Countess Cottentham (age 32) were married. She by marriage Countess of Cottenham. She the daughter of William Neville 1st Marquess Abergavenny (age 73) and Caroline Vanden Bempte Johnston Marchioness Abergavenny. He the son of William John Pepys 3rd Earl of Cottenham and Theodesia Selina Dallas Countess Cottenham (age 54).
On 16th August 1916 Kenelm Charles Pepys 4th Earl of Cottenham (age 42) and Patricia Burke Countess Cottenham were married. She by marriage Countess of Cottenham. He the son of William John Pepys 3rd Earl of Cottenham and Theodesia Selina Dallas Countess Cottenham (age 71).
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 April 1919 Kenelm Charles Pepys 4th Earl of Cottenham (age 44) died. His son Kenelm (age 17) succeeded 5th Earl of Cottenham, 5th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 5th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 7th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 8th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 29th December 1922 Kenelm Charles (age 21) died of pneumonia unmarried. His brother Mark (age 19) succeeded 6th Earl of Cottenham, 6th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 6th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 8th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 9th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 19th July 1943 Mark Everard Pepys 6th Earl of Cottenham (age 40) without male issue. John Digby Pepys 7th Earl of Cottenham (age 36) succeeded 7th Earl of Cottenham, 7th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 7th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 9th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 10th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street. Angela Neville Countess Cottenham (age 33) by marriage Countess of Cottenham.
On 12th May 1968 John Digby Pepys 7th Earl of Cottenham (age 60) died. His son Kenelm (age 19) succeeded 8th Earl of Cottenham, 8th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 8th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 10th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 11th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.
On 20th October 2000 Kenelm Charles Pepys 8th Earl of Cottenham (age 51) died. His son Mark (age 17) succeeded 9th Earl of Cottenham, 9th Viscount Crowhurst of Crowhurst in Surrey, 9th Baron Cottenham of Cottenham in Cambridgshire, 11th Baronet Pepys of Wimpole Street, 12th Baronet Pepys of Brook Street.