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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MP Devizes is in Member Parliament.
In 1571 Edward Baynton [aged 51] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1584 Henry Brouncker Lord President Munster [aged 34] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1584, 1586 and 1593 Henry Bayntun [aged 48] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1586 Henry Brouncker Lord President Munster [aged 36] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1589 Henry Brouncker Lord President Munster [aged 39] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1659 Chaloner Chute [aged 27] was elected MP Devizes.
In October 1679 John Eyles was elected MP Devizes.
In 1734 Joseph Eyles [aged 44] was elected MP Devizes.
In 1788 Joshua Smith of Erlestoke Merchant [aged 56] was elected MP Devizes which seat he held for thrity years until 1818.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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In 1863 William Wells Addington 3rd Viscount Sidmouth [aged 38] was elected MP Devizes which seat he held until 2th March 1864 when he succeeded to the Viscountcy.