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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
MP Tamworth is in Member Parliament.
In 1593 Thomas Smith (age 37) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1604 Thomas Beaumont 1st Viscount of Swords (age 22) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1621 Thomas Puckering 1st Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Tamworth.
In April 1640 Simon Archer (age 58) was elected MP Tamworth during the Short Parliament.
In 1670 Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford (age 30) was elected MP Tamworth which seat he held until 1679.
In 1678 Henry Gough (age 28) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1679 Thomas Thynne 1st Viscount Weymouth (age 39) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1689 Henry Gough (age 39) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1689 Henry Boyle 1st Baron Carleton (age 19) was elected MP Tamworth which seat he held until 1690.
In 1698 John Chetwynd of Boughton (age 55) was elected MP Tamworth which seat he held until 1700.
In 1699 Henry Gough (age 49) was elected MP Tamworth.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In January 1727 George Compton 6th Earl of Northampton (age 35) was elected MP Tamworth.
In 1734 John Sackville (age 20) was elected MP Tamworth which seat he held until 1747.