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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Biography of Mafalda Burgundy Queen Consort Castile 1196-1256

Paternal Family Tree: Capet

In 1196 Mafalda Burgundy Queen Consort Castile was born to Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal [aged 41] and Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal.

In 1206 [her brother] Alfonso "Fat" II King Portugal [aged 20] and [her sister-in-law] Urraca Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of Alfonso VIII King Castile [aged 50] and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile [aged 44]. He the son of [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal [aged 51] and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. They were second cousin once removed. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 26th March 1211 [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal [aged 56] died. His son [her brother] Alfonso [aged 25] succeeded II King Portugal. [her sister-in-law] Urraca Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 23] by marriage Queen Consort Portugal.

In 1214 [her brother-in-law] King Valdemar II of Denmark [aged 43] and [her sister] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark [aged 16] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Valdemar "Great" I King of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk.

On 5th October 1214 Alfonso VIII King Castile [aged 58] died. He was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map]. His son [her future husband] Henry [aged 10] succeeded I King Castile.

In 1215 Henry I King Castile [aged 10] and Mafalda Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Alfonso VIII King Castile and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile. They were second cousin once removed. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1216 [her husband] Henry I King Castile [aged 11] and [her niece] Sancha Ivrea Queen Consort Castile [aged 25] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [her brother-in-law] Alfonso IX King Leon [aged 44] and [her sister] Theresa of Portugal Queen Consort Leon [aged 40]. He the son of Alfonso VIII King Castile and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile. They were second cousins. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 6th June 1217 [her husband] Henry I King Castile [aged 13] was killed by a tile falling of a roof. He was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map]. His sister [her sister-in-law] Berengaria [aged 38] succeeded I Queen Castile.

On 27th March 1221 [her sister] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark [aged 23] died.

On 25th March 1223 [her brother] Alfonso "Fat" II King Portugal [aged 37] died at Coimbra. His son [her nephew] Sancho [aged 13] succeeded II King Portugal.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke

Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 18th June 1250 [her sister] Theresa of Portugal Queen Consort Leon [aged 74] died.

On 1st May 1256 Mafalda Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 60] died.

[her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Portugal. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Raymond V Count Barcelona. He the son of Afonso "Conqueror Founder Great" I King Portugal and Malfada Savoy Queen Consort Portugal. They were fifth cousins.