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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MP Lichfield is in Member Parliament.
In 1529 William Paget 1st Baron Paget Beaudasert [aged 23] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1559 Henry Paget 2nd Baron Paget Beaudasert [aged 20] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1559 Henry Paget 2nd Baron Paget Beaudasert [aged 20] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1584 Richard Browne [aged 45] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1589 Richard Huddlestone [aged 54] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1614 during the Addled Parliament Charles Thynne [aged 46] was elected MP Lymington. John "Black Sir John" Egerton [aged 63] was elected MP Lichfield. Mervyn Tuchet 2nd Earl Castlehaven [aged 21] was elected MP Dorset. Richard Edgecumbe [aged 44] was elected MP Bodmin.
In 1678 Henry Lyttelton 2nd Baronet [aged 54] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1678 Michael Biddulph 2nd Baronet [aged 24] stood for MP Lichfield but was defeated.
In 1679 Michael Biddulph 2nd Baronet [aged 25] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1689 Robert Burdett 3rd Baronet [aged 48] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until he retired in 1698.
In 1695 Michael Biddulph 2nd Baronet [aged 41] was elected MP Lichfield.
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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In 1702 Michael Biddulph 2nd Baronet [aged 48] was elected MP Lichfield despite his being in prison at the time for debts.
In 1705 Henry Gough [aged 55] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1715 Samuel Barbour aka Hill of Shenstone Park [aged 24] was elected MP Lichfield.
In April 1718 William Sneyd [aged 25] was elected MP Lichfield but was unseated on petition on 10th December and never sought election again.
In 1731 George Venables-Vernon 1st Baron Vernon [aged 21] was elected MP Lichfield.
In November 1753 Thomas Gresley 5th Baronet [aged 30] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held for one month.
In 1795 Granville Leveson-Gower 1st Earl Granville [aged 21] was elected MP Lichfield.
In 1799 John Wrottesley 1st Baron Wrottesley [aged 27] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until 1806.
In 1806 George Harcourt [aged 20] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until 1831.
In 1846 Edward Lloyd aka Lloyd-Mostyn 2nd Baron Mostyn [aged 50] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until 1847.
In 1854 Henry Cavendish 3rd Baron Waterpark [aged 60] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until 1856.
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 1859 Captain Augustus Henry Archibald Anson [aged 23] was elected MP Lichfield which seat he held until 1868.