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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Biography of Marie Coucy 1218-1285

In 1201 [her father] Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy [aged 19] and Beatrix Vignory Lady Coucy were married. She by marriage Lord Coucy.

In 1204 [her father] Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy [aged 22] and Matilda Welf Countess Perche [aged 32] were married. She by marriage Lord Coucy. She the daughter of Henry "Lion" Welf XII Duke Saxony III Duke Bavaria and Matilda Plantagenet Duchess Saxony. They were half fifth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Around 1218 Marie Coucy was born to [her father] Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy [aged 36] and [her mother] Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy.

On 21st June 1221 [her future husband] King Alexander II of Scotland [aged 22] and Joan Plantagenet Queen of Scotland [aged 10] were married at York Minster [Map]. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. She the daughter of King John of England and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England [aged 33]. He the son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland [aged 51]. They were half third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1239 King Alexander II of Scotland [aged 40] and Marie Coucy [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 4th September 1241 [her son] King Alexander III of Scotland was born to [her husband] King Alexander II of Scotland [aged 43] and Marie Coucy [aged 23] at Roxburgh Castle, Roxburgh. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. He married (1) 25th December 1251 his half fourth cousin Margaret Queen of Scotland, daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England, and had issue (2) 15th October 1285 his half second cousin twice removed Yolande of Dreux Queen of Scotland, daughter of Robert Capet IV Count Dreux and Beatrice Montfort Countess Dreux.

In 1242 [her father] Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy [aged 60] died from a fall from a horse onto his sword.

On 17th November 1244 [her sister-in-law] Marjorie Dunkeld Countess Pembroke [aged 44] died.

On 6th July 1249 [her husband] King Alexander II of Scotland [aged 50] died at Kerrera. He was buried at Melrose Abbey, Melrose. His son Alexander [aged 7] succeeded King Scotland.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 25 or 26th December 1251 King Alexander III of Scotland [aged 10] and Margaret Queen of Scotland [aged 11] were married at York Minster [Map]. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. The couple \remained in York until Jan 1252 after which they travelled to Edinburgh. She the daughter of King Henry III of England [aged 44] and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England [aged 28]. He the son of King Alexander II of Scotland and Marie Coucy [aged 33]. They were half fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.