This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Paternal Family Tree: Capet
Maternal Family Tree: Inês Castro 1325-1355
On 22nd September 1428 [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal (age 36) and [her mother] Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Portugal. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Ferdinand I King Aragon and [her grandmother] Eleanor of Alberquerque Queen Consort Aragon (age 54). He the son of King John I of Portugal (age 76) and Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal. They were first cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 18th September 1434 Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress was born to [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal (age 42) and [her mother] Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 4.40%.
In 1435 [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal (age 43) was appointed 149th Knight of the Garter by King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 13).
On 13th September 1438 [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal (age 46) died. His son [her brother] Alfonso (age 6) succeeded V King Portugal.
In 1447 [her brother] Alfonso "The African" V King Portugal (age 14) and [her sister-in-law] Isabella Aviz Queen Consort Portugal (age 15) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal and [her mother] Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. They were first cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In 1447 [her brother] Alfonso "The African" V King Portugal (age 14) was appointed 164th Knight of the Garter by King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 25).
On 16th March 1452 Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 36) was appointed III Holy Roman Emperor at St Peter's Basilica, Vatican. In the afternoon of the same day Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 17) were married at St Peter's Basilica, Vatican. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. She the daughter of Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal and Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Ernest "The Iron" Habsburg I Duke Austria and Cymburgis Masovia Duchess Austria.
In 1455 [her son] Christoph Habsburg was born to [her husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 39) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 20). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. He died aged one in 1456.
In 1455 [her brother-in-law] Henry IV King Castile (age 29) and [her sister] Joan Aviz Queen Consort Castile (age 15) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [her father] Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal and [her mother] Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of John II King Castile and [her aunt] Maria Trastámara Queen Consort Castile. They were first cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
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 1456 [her son] Christoph Habsburg (age 1) died.
On 22nd March 1459 [her son] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor was born to [her husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 43) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 24). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. He married (1) 18th August 1477 his second cousin Mary Valois Duchess Burgundy, daughter of Charles "Bold" Valois Duke Burgundy and Isabella Bourbon, and had issue (2) 1494 his third cousin Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress, daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and Bona of Savoy.
In 1460 [her son] Helene Habsburg was born to [her husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 44) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 25). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. He died aged two in 1462.
In 1462 [her son] Helene Habsburg (age 2) died.
In 1465 [her daughter] Kunigunde Habsburg Duchess Bavaria was born to [her husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 49) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 30). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married 1487 her second cousin once removed Albert Wittelsbach IV Duke Bavaria, son of Albert Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria and Anna Brunswick Grubenhagen Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.
In 1466 [her son] Johannes Habsburg was born to [her husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 50) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 31). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. He died aged one in 1467.
In 1467 [her son] Johannes Habsburg (age 1) died.
On 3rd September 1467 Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress (age 32) died.
On 19th August 1493 [her former husband] Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 77) died. His son Maximilian (age 34) succeeded I Holy Roman Emperor.
Kings Wessex: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Godwinson: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 2 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alfonso III King Portugal 
Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Denis I King Portugal 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Beatrice Queen Consort Portugal 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter III King Aragon 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elisabeth Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Constance Hohenstaufen Queen Consort Aragon 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Peter I King Portugal 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alfonso X King Castile X King Leon 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Violante Barcelona Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon
Great x 2 Grandmother: Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon
GrandFather: King John I of Portugal 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Pedro Fernández de Castro
Great x 1 Grandmother: Inês Castro
Father: Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England 
Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward II of England Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Philip IV of France 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Blois I Queen Navarre 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland 3 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Stephen I England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Valois I Count Valois 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Capet Countess Valois 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandMother: Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal 
Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Navarre 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster 
Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Patrick Chaworth 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Chaworth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Blanche Duchess of Lancaster 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Louis Brienne Viscount Beaumont 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Beaumont Sarthe 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alexander Comyn 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joanna Latimer
Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry "Fratricide" II King Castile 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Guzman
Great x 1 Grandfather: John I King Castile 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Manuel Ivrea 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Juan Manuel Prince of Villena 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Beatrice Savoy
Great x 2 Grandmother: Juana Manuel Queen of Castile 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinando de la Cerda 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Blanca de la Cerda y Lara 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Juana "La Palomilla" Núñez de Lara
GrandFather: Ferdinand I King Aragon 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James "The Just" II King Aragon 6 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alfonso IV King Aragon 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Consort Aragon 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Peter IV King Aragon 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Teresa Enteca Queen Consort Aragon
Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Barcelona Queen Consort Castile 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Frederick III King Sicily
Great x 3 Grandfather: Peter II King Sicily 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Capet 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor of Sicily Queen Consort Aragon 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Mother: Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Denis I King Portugal 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elisabeth Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Sancho Alfonso Ivrea 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Guzman
GrandMother: Eleanor of Alberquerque Queen Consort Aragon 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Denis I King Portugal 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elisabeth Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Peter I King Portugal 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon
Great x 1 Grandmother: Beatrice Burgundy 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Pedro Fernández de Castro
Great x 2 Grandmother: Inês Castro