Earl of Leicester is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically.
There have been seven creations of Earl of Leicester:
1st. 1107. Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan. Forfeit. 4th August 1265. Battle of Evesham.
2nd. 25th October 1265. Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster. Merged with the Crown. 30th September 1399. Abdication of Richard II.
3rd. 29th September 1564. Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester. Extinct. 4th September 1588.
4th. 1618. Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester. Extinct. 7th July 1743.
5th. 9th May 1744. Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester. Extinct. 20th April 1759.
6th. 1784. George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend. Extinct. 31st December 1855.
7th. 1837. Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester. Extant.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Forfeit Earldoms of England.
Summary
1107. Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 67) created.
5th June 1118. Son Robert Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 14) succeeded.
5th April 1168. Son Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester succeeded.
1190. Son Robert Beaumont 4th Earl of Leicester succeeded.
21st October 1204. Nephew Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 29) succeeded.
25th June 1218. Son Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 10) succeeded. See Siege of Toulouse 1218.
4th August 1265. Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester forfeit. See Battle of Evesham.
In 1096 Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 56) and Elizabeth Capet Countess Leicester, Meulan and Surrey (age 11) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. The difference in their ages was 45 years. She the daughter of Hugh "Great" Capet (age 39) and Adelaide I Countess Vermandois.
In 1107 Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 67) was created 1st Earl of Leicester.
On 5th June 1118 Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 78) died. His son Robert (age 14) succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester. Amice Gael Countess Leicester by marriage Countess of Leicester. His son Waleran (age 14) succeeded Count Meulan.
On 5th April 1168 Robert Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 64) died. His son Robert succeeded 3rd Earl of Leicester.
Before 1173 Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester and Petronilla Grandesmil Countess Leicester (age 37) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. He the son of Robert Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester and Amice Gael Countess Leicester.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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In 1190 Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester died. His son Robert succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester. Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester (age 5) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
Around 1196 Robert Beaumont 4th Earl of Leicester and Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester (age 11) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. He the son of Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester and Petronilla Grandesmil Countess Leicester (age 61).
Around 21st October 1204 Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 29) succeeded 5th Earl of Leicester.
On 25th June 1218 Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 43) was killed at the Siege of Toulouse 1218. His son Amaury (age 23) succeeded 6th Seigneur Montfort. His son Simon (age 10) succeeded 6th Earl of Leicester.
In 1238 Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 30) and Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Pembroke and Leicester (age 23) were married at Westminster Palace [Map]. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. She the daughter of King John of England and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 50). He the son of Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester and Alix Montmorency. They were half third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
On 4th August 1265 the army loyal to King Henry III of England (age 57), led by his son the future King Edward I of England (age 26), supported by Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 21), Warin Basingburne and John Giffard 1st Baron Giffard Brimpsfield (age 33) defeated the rebel army of Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 57) at the Battle of Evesham.
Roger Leybourne (age 50) fought and reputedly saved the King's life.
Adam Mohaut rescued the King.
Alan de Plugenet of Kilpec fought for the King.
Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester was killed. Earl of Leicester, Earl Chester forfeit. His son Henry Montfort (age 26) was also killed.
Hugh Despencer (age 41) was killed by Roger Mortimer 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore (age 34). Baron Despencer extinct. It may not have been created as a hereditary barony.
Simon Beauchamp (age 31), Ralph Basset (age 50), William Devereux (age 46), Hugh Troyes, Richard Trussel, Peter Montfort (age 60), William Mandeville, William Crepping, William Birmingham, Guy Balliol and Thomas Astley (age 50) were killed. Henry Hastings (age 30), Humphrey Bohun (age 44), Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave (age 27), John Vesci, John Fitzjohn and Guy Montfort Count Nola (age 21) were captured.
John Vesci was wounded and taken prisoner.
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Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Forfeit Earldoms of England, Succeeded Countesses of England, Merged with the Crown Earldoms of England.
Summary
25th October 1265. Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 20) created.
5th June 1296. Son Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 18) succeeded.
22nd March 1322. Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln forfeit. See Battle of Boroughbridge.
29th March 1324. Brother Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 43) restored.
22nd September 1345. Son Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 35) succeeded.
23rd March 1361. Daughter Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria (age 20) succeeded. See Death of Henry of Grosmont.
10th April 1362. Sister Blanche Duchess of Lancaster (age 20) succeeded.
3rd February 1399. Son King Henry IV of England (age 31) succeeded. See Death of John of Gaunt.
30th September 1399. Edmund Mortimer 5th Earl March 7th Earl of Ulster (age 7) merged with the crown. See Abdication of Richard II.
On 25th October 1265 Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 20) was created 1st Earl of Leicester.
On 5th June 1296 Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 51) died at Bayonne [Map]. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son Thomas (age 18) succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster. Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln (age 14) by marriage Countess of Leicester, Countess Lancaster.
On 22nd March 1322 Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 44) was beheaded at Pontefract Castle [Map] following his capture six days before at the Battle of Boroughbridge. He was buried at Pontefract Priory [Map]. Earl of Leicester, Earl Lancaster forfeit.
On 29th March 1324 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 43) was restored 3rd Earl of Leicester.
On 22nd September 1345 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 64) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. His son Henry (age 35) succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Earl Lancaster.
In 1352 William Wittelsbach I Duke Lower Bavaria (age 21) and Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria (age 11) were married in London. She by marriage Duchess Lower Bavaria. He by marriage Earl of Leicester. She the daughter of Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 42) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 32). He the son of Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor and Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress (age 40). They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
On 23rd March 1361 Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 51) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. He was buried at Church of the Annunciation of our Lady of the Newark [Map]. Duke Lancaster, Earl Lincoln extinct.
Blanche Duchess of Lancaster (age 18) succeeded 5th Countess Lancaster and 2nd Countess Derby. John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 21) by marriage Earl Lancaster, Earl Derby.
Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria (age 20) succeeded 5th Countess of Leicester.
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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On 10th April 1362 Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria (age 22) died. Her sister Blanche (age 20) succeeded 6th Countess of Leicester. John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 22) by marriage Earl of Leicester adding a fourth Earldom to the ones he already held: Earl Richmond, Earl Lancaster and Earl Derby.
On 3rd February 1399 John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 58) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 48) was by his side. His son Henry (age 31) succeeded 2nd Duke Lancaster, 7th Earl of Leicester. He was buried in the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral [Map] with his first wife Blanche Duchess of Lancaster.
King Richard II of England (age 32) witheld the future Henry IV's inheritance from him giving Henry reason to return to England to claim his lands and titles.
On 30th September 1399 King Henry IV of England (age 32) became King of England usurping the throne of his cousin Richard II (age 32) and Richard's heir, the seven year old Edmund Mortimer 5th Earl of March (age 7) who was descended from Edward III's second son Lionel of Antwerp Duke of Clarence. This second usurption was to have far reaching consequences since it subsequently became the descent by which the House of York claimed precedence over the House of Lancaster being one of the causes of the Wars of the Roses. Duke Lancaster, Duke of Hereford, Earl Derby, Earl Lancaster and Earl of Leicester merged with the Crown.
Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 35) was appointed Earl Marshal.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
29th September 1564. Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 32) created.
4th September 1588. Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester extinct.
On 29th September 1564 Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 32) was created 1st Earl of Leicester.
On 21st September 1578 Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 46) and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester (age 34) were married secretly much to the anguish of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 45) who developed a deep hatred of Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. Roger North 2nd Baron North (age 48) was present. He the son of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland. They were fifth cousins.
On 4th September 1588 Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 56) died at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. He was buried at Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl of Leicester extinct.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
1618. Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 54) created.
13th July 1626. Son Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 30) succeeded.
2nd November 1677. Son Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 58) succeeded.
6th March 1698. Son Robert Sidney 4th Earl of Leicester (age 49) succeeded.
11th November 1702. Son Philip Sidney 5th Earl of Leicester (age 26) succeeded.
24th July 1705. Brother John Sidney 6th Earl of Leicester (age 25) succeeded.
27th September 1737. Brother Jocelyn Sidney 7th Earl of Leicester (age 55) succeeded.
7th July 1743. Jocelyn Sidney 7th Earl of Leicester extinct.
In 1618 Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 54) was created 1st Earl of Leicester. Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester (age 55) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 25th April 1625 Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 61) and Sarah Blount Countess Leicester (age 43) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 13th July 1626 Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 62) died. His son Robert (age 30) succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Viscount Lisle. Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 28) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 2nd November 1677 Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 81) died. His son Philip (age 58) succeeded 3rd Earl of Leicester, 3rd Viscount Lisle.
On 6th March 1698 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 79) died. His son Robert (age 49) succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Viscount Lisle. Elizabeth Egerton Countess Leicester (age 44) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 11th November 1702 Robert Sidney 4th Earl of Leicester (age 53) died. His son Philip (age 26) succeeded 5th Earl of Leicester, 5th Viscount Lisle.
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 24th July 1705 Philip Sidney 5th Earl of Leicester (age 29) died. His brother John (age 25) succeeded 6th Earl of Leicester, 6th Viscount Lisle.
On 27th September 1737 John Sidney 6th Earl of Leicester (age 57) died at Penshurst Place, Kent [Map]. He was buried at St John the Baptist Church, Penshurst. His brother Jocelyn (age 55) succeeded 7th Earl of Leicester, 7th Viscount Lisle.
On 7th July 1743 Jocelyn Sidney 7th Earl of Leicester (age 61) died. Earl of Leicester and Viscount Lisle extinct. His will left everything to his illegitimate daughter Anne Sidney (age 14) but was successfully contested by cousins.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
9th May 1744. Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 46) created.
20th April 1759. Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester extinct.
On 9th May 1744 Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 46) was created 1st Earl of Leicester. Margaret Tufton Countess Leicester (age 43) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 20th April 1759 Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 61) died. Earl of Leicester and Baron Lovel of Minster Lovell extinct. Wenman Roberts aka Coke (age 42) inherited his estates.
On 31st August 1753 Edward Coke (age 34) died.
Monument in Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tittleshall [Map] commissioned by wife and mother Margaret Tufton Countess Leicester (age 58). Erected in 1760. Sculpted by Charles Atkinson. Gadrooned sarcophagus on pedestal with a carved and painted achievement above surrounded by extravagant mantling. Flanked by pair of composite columns supporting a dentilated pediment. Carved bust figures to the sides of the Earl and Countess by Louis Francois Roubiliac (age 56).
Edward Coke: On 2nd February 1719 he was born to Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester and Margaret Tufton Countess Leicester. On 1st April 1747 Edward Coke and Mary Campbell were married. She the daughter of John Campbell 2nd Duke Argyll and Jane Warburton Duchess of Argyll. He the son of Thomas William Coke 1st Earl of Leicester and Margaret Tufton Countess Leicester.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.
Summary
1784. George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend (age 30) created.
27th July 1811. Son George Ferrers Townshend 3rd Marquess Townshend (age 32) succeeded.
31st December 1855. George Ferrers Townshend 3rd Marquess Townshend extinct.
In 1784 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend (age 30) was created 1st Earl of Leicester. Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester (age 12) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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On 27th July 1811 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend (age 58) died. His son George (age 32) succeeded 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 6th Viscount Townsend, 6th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 8th Baronet Townshend, 18th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 9th Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire. Sarah Dunn-Gardner Marchioness Townshend by marriage Marchioness Townshend.
On 31st December 1855 George Ferrers Townshend 3rd Marquess Townshend (age 77) died in Genoa. Earl of Leicester extinct. Baron Ferrers of Chartley and Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire abeyant. His first cousin John (age 57) succeeded 4th Marquess Townshend, 7th Viscount Townsend, 7th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 9th Baronet Townshend.
Earl of Leicester is also in Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extant Earldoms of England.
Summary
1837. Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 82) created.
30th June 1842. Son Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 19) succeeded.
24th January 1909. Son Thomas William Coke 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 60) succeeded.
19th November 1941. Son Thomas William Coke 4th Earl of Leicester (age 61) succeeded.
21st August 1949. Son Major Thomas William Edward Coke 5th Earl of Leicester (age 41) succeeded.
3rd September 1976. First Cousin Anthony Louis Lovel Coke 6th Earl of Leicester (age 66) succeeded.
19th June 1994. Son Edward Douglas Coke 7th Earl of Leicester (age 58) succeeded.
25th April 2015. Son Thomas Coke 8th Earl of Leicester (age 49) succeeded.
In 1837 Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 82) was created 1st Earl of Leicester. Anne Amelia Keppel Countess Leicester (age 34) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 30th June 1842 Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 88) died. His son Thomas (age 19) succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester.
On 20th April 1843 Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 20) and Juliana Whitbread Countess Leicester (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. He the son of Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester and Anne Amelia Keppel Countess Leicester (age 40). They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 26th August 1875 Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 52) and Georgina Caroline Cavendish Countess Leicester (age 23) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. The difference in their ages was 29 years. He the son of Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester and Anne Amelia Keppel Countess Leicester.
On 24th January 1909 Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 86) died. His son Thomas (age 60) succeeded 3rd Earl of Leicester. Alice Emily White Countess Leicester (age 53) by marriage Countess of Leicester. St Withburga's Church, Holkham [Map].
Thomas William Coke 3rd Earl of Leicester: Before 09 Jul 1880 Thomas William Coke 3rd Earl of Leicester and Alice Emily White Countess Leicester were married. He the son of Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester and Juliana Whitbread Countess Leicester. On 20th July 1848 he was born to Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester and Juliana Whitbread Countess Leicester. On 19th November 1941 Thomas William Coke 3rd Earl of Leicester died. His son Thomas succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester.
Alice Emily White Countess Leicester: On 29th September 1855 she was born to Luke White 2nd Baron Annaly.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 19th November 1941 Thomas William Coke 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 93) died. His son Thomas (age 61) succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester.
On 21st August 1949 Thomas William Coke 4th Earl of Leicester (age 69) died. His son Thomas (age 41) succeeded 5th Earl of Leicester. Elizabeth Mary Yorke Countess of Leicester (age 37) by marriage Countess of Leicester.
On 3rd September 1976 Major Thomas William Edward Coke 5th Earl of Leicester (age 68) died without male issue. His first cousin Anthony (age 66) succeeded 6th Earl of Leicester.
On 19th June 1994 Anthony Louis Lovel Coke 6th Earl of Leicester (age 84) died. His son Edward (age 58) succeeded 7th Earl of Leicester.
On 25th April 2015 Edward Douglas Coke 7th Earl of Leicester (age 78) died. His son Thomas (age 49) succeeded 8th Earl of Leicester.