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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François Clouet is in Painters.
Around 1510 François Clouet was born to [his father] Jean Clouet (age 25) in Tours.
In 1541 [his father] Jean Clouet (age 56) died.
1550 François Clouet (age 40). Portrait of Cardinal Charles of Guise (age 25).
Cardinal Charles of Guise: On 17th February 1524 he was born to Claude Lorraine 1st Duke Guise and Antoinette Bourbon Duchess of Guise. On 26th December 1574 Cardinal Charles of Guise died.
Around 1555. François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of Francis Montmorency (age 24).
Around 1555. François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of Gaspard II de Coligny (age 35).
Around 1555. Studio of François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of François de Coligny d'Andelot (age 33).
François de Coligny d'Andelot: On 18th April 1521 he was born to Gaspard I de Coligny Count of Coligny. On 27th May 1569 he died.
Around 1555 François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of Francis II Duke Guise (age 35).
Around 1555 François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of Francis Valois Duke Anjou.
Francis Valois Duke Anjou: On 18th March 1555 he was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine Medici Queen Consort France. In 1576 he was appointed Duke Anjou. In 1577 Nicholas Hilliard was provided with a stipend of 200 livres by Francis Valois Duke Anjou, a suitor of Elizabeth I. On 10th June 1584 Francis Valois Duke Anjou died of malaria unmarried.
Around 1555 François Clouet (age 45). Portrait of Francis II Duke Guise (age 35).
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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1559. Studio of François Clouet (age 49). Portrait of King Henry II of France (age 39).
Around 1559 François Clouet (age 49). Portrait of Mary Queen of Scots (age 16).
Around 1560 François Clouet (age 50). Portrait of Francis II King France King Consort Scotland (age 15).
In 1563 François Clouet (age 53). Portrait of Charles IX King France (age 12).
In 1571 François Clouet (age 61). Portrait of Elisabeth of Austria Queen Consort France (age 16).
Before 1572. François Clouet (age 61) or studio of. Portrait of Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine (age 28).
Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine: On 18th February 1543 he was born to Francis Lorraine I Duke Lorraine and Christina Oldenburg Duchess Lorraine. On 12th June 1545 Francis Lorraine I Duke Lorraine died. His son Charles succeeded III Duke Lorraine. In 1559 Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine and Claude Valois Duchess Lorraine were married. She by marriage Duchess Lorraine. She the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine Medici Queen Consort France. He the son of Francis Lorraine I Duke Lorraine and Christina Oldenburg Duchess Lorraine. They were fourth cousins. On 14th May 1608 Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine died. His son Henry succeeded II Duke Lorraine. Margherita Gonzaga Duchess Lorraine by marriage Duchess Lorraine.
1572. After François Clouet (age 62). Portrait of Francis II King France King Consort Scotland.
Before 22nd December 1572. François Clouet (age 62). Portrait of Claude Valois Duchess Lorraine (age 25).
Before 22nd December 1572 François Clouet (age 62). Portrait of Margaret Valois Duchess Berry and Savoy (age 49).
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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On 22nd December 1572 François Clouet (age 62) died.