The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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MP Grantham is in Member Parliament.
In 1491 John Mordaunt (age 35) was elected MP Grantham.
On 22nd January 1545 Edward Warner (age 34) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1547 Edward Warner (age 36) was elected MP Grantham.
In March 1553 Edward Warner (age 42) was elected MP Grantham.
In October 1553 Edward Warner (age 42) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1558 Anthony Thorold (age 38) was elected MP Grantham with the support of Henry Manners 2nd Earl of Rutland (age 31)
In 1571 William Killigrew (age 16) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1584 William Thorold (age 13) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1589 William Armyn of Osgodby South Kesteven Lincolnshire (age 28) was elected MP Grantham.
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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In 1604 George Manners 7th Earl of Rutland (age 24) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1624 George Manners 7th Earl of Rutland (age 44) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1625 George Manners 7th Earl of Rutland (age 45) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1625 William Armine 1st Baronet (age 31) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1689 John Brownlow 3rd Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1708 Geoffrey Palmer 3rd Baronet (age 52) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1727 Michael Newton 4th Baronet (age 32) was elected MP Grantham in the 1727 General Election.
In 1734 Michael Newton 4th Baronet (age 39) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1741 Michael Newton 4th Baronet (age 46) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1743 John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 24) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1774 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 29) was elected MP Grantham.
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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In 1806 Russell Manners (age 35) was elected MP Grantham which seat he held until 1807 when he did not stand.
In 1812 Robert Percy Smith (age 41) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1818 Edward Cust 1st Baronet (age 23) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1820 Montague Cholmeley 1st Baronet (age 47) was elected MP Grantham which seat he held until 1826 when he retired in favour of his son Montague Cholmeley 2nd Baronet (age 17).
In 1868 Hugh Cholmeley 3rd Baronet (age 28) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1892 Henry Lopes 1st Baron Roborough (age 32) was elected MP Grantham.