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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Bayonne is in France.
On 24th November 1273 Alfonso Plantagenet was born to King Edward I of England [aged 34] and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England [aged 32] in Bayonne [Map]. Their ninth child. He was named after Eleanor's half-brother Alfonso X King Castile X King Leon [aged 52] who was also the child's godfather and attended his christening. He died aged ten in 1284.
On 5th June 1296 Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster [aged 51] died at Bayonne [Map]. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son Thomas [aged 18] succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster. Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln [aged 14] by marriage Countess of Leicester, Countess Lancaster.
On 13th June 1296 William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke died or was killed at Bayonne [Map]. He was buried at the west side of the door to Chapel of St Edmund, Westminster Abbey [Map] where there is an altar-tomb of stone, surmounted by a broken sarcophagus, on which is a recumbent effigy of the earl. The figure is of wood, and was originally covered with copper-gilt, as was the chest on which it lies. An indulgence of one hundred days was granted to all devout people who should offer up prayers for his soul.
On 2nd September 1348 Joan Plantagenet [aged 14] died on her way to marry Peter of Castile [aged 14]. She was buried at Bayonne Cathedral.