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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Paternal Family Tree: Harcourt
In December 1661 Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt was born to Philip Harcourt [aged 24] in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
On 9th October 1684 [his son] Simon Harcourt was born to Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt [aged 22]. He married 21st July 1709 Elizabeth Evelyn and had issue.
On 20th March 1688 [his father] Philip Harcourt [aged 51] died at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th July 1701. My grandson [aged 19] went to Sir Simon Harcourt [aged 39], the Solicitor General, to Windsor, Berkshire [Map], to wait on my Lord Treasurer. There had been for some time a proposal of marrying my grandson to a daughter [aged 26] of Mrs. Boscawen [aged 58], sister of my Lord Treasurer [aged 56], which was now far advanced.
On 21st July 1709 [his son] Simon Harcourt [aged 24] and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Evelyn were married.
On 1st July 1720 [his son] Simon Harcourt [aged 35] died at Paris [Map].
In 1721 Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt [aged 59] was created 1st Viscount Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire.
In or before 1722 John Walter 3rd Baronet [aged 47] and [his future wife] Elizabeth Vernon Viscountess Harcourt [aged 25] were married. The difference in their ages was 22 years.
On 30th September 1724 Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt [aged 62] and Elizabeth Vernon Viscountess Harcourt [aged 28] were married. She by marriage Viscountess Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire. The difference in their ages was 34 years.
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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Before 1727. Christian Fredericke Zincke [aged 43]. Miniature portrait of Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt [aged 65].
On 23rd July 1727 Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt [aged 65] died. Some sources say 28 Dec 1727. His grandson Simon [aged 13] succeeded 2nd Viscount Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire.
In 1748 [his former wife] Elizabeth Vernon Viscountess Harcourt [aged 52] died.
The 1717 Indemnity Act freed a large number of prisoners including hundreds of Jacobite supporters of which some two hundred had been captured at the 1715 Battle of Preston. The Act didn't under attainders or restore lands. Those released included:
William Murray 2nd Lord Nairne.
Robert Dalzell 5th Earl of Carnwath 1687-1737.
William Widdrington 4th Baron Widdrington.
There were exemptions including:
Matthew Prior Poet 1664-1721.
Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.
Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt.
Thomas Harley of Kinsham Court 1667-1738.
All members of the Clan McGregor including Rob Roy MacGregor.
Kings Wessex: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings England: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 27 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 21 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Simon Harcourt 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Simon Harcourt 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Walter Harcourt 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Aston
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Harcourt 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandFather: Simon Harcourt 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Father: Philip Harcourt 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt 15 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England