The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Count Blois is in Counts of France.
Around 944 Theobald "Trickster" Blois I Count Blois [aged 31] and Luitgarde Vermandois Duchess Normandy [aged 29] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Herbert II Count Vermandois, Soissons and Meaux and Adela Capet Countess Vermandois, Soissons and Meaux.
In 975 Theobald "Trickster" Blois I Count Blois [aged 62] died. His son Odo [aged 25] succeeded I Count Blois.
Around 983 Odo Blois I Count Blois [aged 33] and Bertha Welf Queen Consort France [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Conrad I King Burgundy [aged 58] and Mathilde Carolingian Queen Consort Burgundy [aged 40]. He the son of Theobald "Trickster" Blois I Count Blois and Luitgarde Vermandois Duchess Normandy. They were sixth cousins.
On 12th March 996 Odo Blois I Count Blois [aged 46] died. His son Theobald [aged 11] succeeded II Count Blois.
Around 1004 Odo Blois II Count Blois [aged 21] and Maud Normandy Countess Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Richard "Fearless" Normandy I Duke Normandy and Gunnora Countess Ponthieu. He the son of Odo Blois I Count Blois and Bertha Welf Queen Consort France [aged 40].
On 11th July 1004 Theobald Blois II Count Blois [aged 19] died. His brother Odo [aged 21] succeeded II Count Blois.
In 1007 Odo Blois II Count Blois [aged 24] and Ermengarde Auvergne Countess Blois [aged 37] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. He the son of Odo Blois I Count Blois and Bertha Welf Queen Consort France [aged 43].
On 15th November 1037 Odo Blois II Count Blois [aged 54] died. His son Theobald [aged 25] succeeded III Count Blois. His son Stephen succeeded II Count Troyes and Meaux.
In or before 1045 Theobald Blois III Count Blois [aged 32] and Gersenda Maine Countess Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Herbert "Wakedog" Maine I Count Maine. He the son of Odo Blois II Count Blois and Ermengarde Auvergne Countess Blois. They were third cousin twice removed.
Around 1055 Theobald Blois III Count Blois [aged 43] and Adela Valois Countess Blois and Vermandois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. He the son of Odo Blois II Count Blois and Ermengarde Auvergne Countess Blois.
In 1080 Stephen Blois II Count Blois and Chartres [aged 35] and Adela Normandy Countess Blois [aged 13] were married at Chartres [Map]. She by marriage Countess Blois. The difference in their ages was 22 years. She the daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England [aged 52] and Matilda Flanders Queen Consort England [aged 49]. He the son of Theobald Blois III Count Blois [aged 68] and Gersenda Maine Countess Blois. They were third cousins.
In 1089 Theobald Blois III Count Blois [aged 77] died. His son Stephen [aged 44] succeeded II Count Blois.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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In 1104 William "Simple" Blois Count Blois Count Chartres [aged 19] and Agnes Sully Countess Blois and Chartres [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois, Countess Chartres. He the son of Stephen Blois II Count Blois and Chartres [aged 59] and Adela Normandy Countess Blois [aged 37].
In 1123 Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois [aged 33] and Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Champagne, Countess Blois. He the son of Stephen Blois II Count Blois and Chartres [aged 78] and Adela Normandy Countess Blois [aged 56].
Around 1150 William "Simple" Blois Count Blois Count Chartres [aged 65] died. His brother Theobald [aged 60] succeeded II Count Champagne, IV Count Blois.
On 8th January 1152 Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois [aged 62] died. His son Henry [aged 24] succeeded I Count Champagne. His son Theobald [aged 22] succeeded V Count Blois.
In 1164 Theobald "Good" Blois V Count Blois [aged 34] and Alix Capet Countess Blois [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 44] and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England [aged 42]. He the son of Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois and Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois. They were fourth cousins. He a great grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England.
On 20th January 1191 Theobald "Good" Blois V Count Blois [aged 61] died. His son Louis [aged 19] succeeded I Count Blois.
Before 14th April 1205 Louis Blois I Count Blois [aged 33] and Catherine Countess Blois and Clermont en Beauvaisis were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Raoul I Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis. He the son of Theobald "Good" Blois V Count Blois and Alix Capet Countess Blois.
On 14th April 1205 Louis Blois I Count Blois [aged 33] died. His son Theobald succeeded VI Count Blois.
Before 1218 Theobald Blois VI Count Blois and Clemence Roches Countess Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. He the son of Louis Blois I Count Blois and Catherine Countess Blois and Clermont en Beauvaisis.
In 1230 Hugh Chatillon I Count Blois V Count Saint Pol [aged 32] was appointed I Count Blois.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 9th April 1248 Hugh Chatillon I Count Blois V Count Saint Pol [aged 50] died. His grandson Hugh succeeded II Count Blois.
In 1280 Joan Chatillon I Countess Blois [aged 27] was appointed I Count Blois.
Around 1287 Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois and Beatrix Dampierre Countess Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Guy Dampierre Count Flanders [aged 61] and Isabelle Luxemburg Countess Flanders [aged 40]. He the son of Guy Chatillon III Count Saint Pol [aged 60] and Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol [aged 63]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England.
In 1307 Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois died. His son Guy succeeded I Count Blois. Margaret Valois [aged 12] by marriage Countess Blois.
In 1340 Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon and Jeanne Beaumont Count Soissons, Blois, Chatillon and Namur [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois, Countess Chatillon. She the daughter of John Beaumont Count Soissons [aged 52] and Margaret Nesle Countess Soissons [aged 35]. He the son of Guy Chatillon I Count Blois and Margaret Valois [aged 45]. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.
On 12th August 1342 Guy Chatillon I Count Blois died. His son Louis succeeded II Count Blois.
On 26th August 1346 the army of King Edward III of England [aged 33] defeated the French army at the Battle of Crécy. The English army was commanded by King Edward III of England, his son Edward "Black Prince" [aged 16], Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick [aged 33], William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton [aged 36] and John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick [aged 30].
The English army was included: Bishop Thomas of Hatfield [aged 36], Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer [aged 38], Bernard Brocas [aged 16], Thomas Felton [aged 16], James Audley [aged 28], Robert Bourchier 1st Baron Bourchier, Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh [aged 59], Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh [aged 18], Reginald Cobham 1st Baron Cobham [aged 51], John Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Knayth [aged 66], Robert Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley [aged 37], Richard Scrope 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton [aged 19], William Scrope [aged 21], Stephen Scrope [aged 21], William Latimer 4th Baron Latimer of Corby [aged 16], John Lisle 2nd Baron Lisle [aged 28], Gerard Lisle 1st Baron Lisle [aged 42], Nicholas Longford [aged 61], Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu, Walter Paveley 4th Baron Burghesh [aged 27], Michael Poynings 1st Baron Poynings [aged 28], Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 48], John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford [aged 34], Thomas West [aged 34], John Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby [aged 43], John Wingfield [aged 26], Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy [aged 25], Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon [aged 43] (possibly), Walter "Elder" Devereux [aged 37], John Devereux [aged 44], Enion Sais Brecon, John Chandos [aged 26], Richard Pembridge [aged 26] and John Sully [aged 63].
The French army suffered significant casualties. King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France [aged 52] was wounded. William de Coucy [aged 60] and his son Enguerrand 6th Lord de Coucy [aged 33] and were killed.
Charles II Count Alençon [aged 49] was killed. His son Charles [aged 9] succeeded Count Alençon.
Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon was killed. His son Louis succeeded III Count Blois.
Louis Dampierre II Count Nevers I Count Flanders [aged 42] was killed. His son Louis [aged 15] succeeded III Count Nevers, II Count Flanders.
King John I of Bohemia [aged 50] was killed. His son Charles [aged 30] succeeded IV King Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg. Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg [aged 29] by marriage Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
Rudolph "Valiant" Metz I Duke Lorraine [aged 26] was killed. His son John succeeded I Duke Lorraine.
Jean IV de Harcourt [aged 39] was killed.
In 1372 Louis Chatillon III Count Blois Count Soissons died. His brother John succeeded II Count Blois.
In February 1372 John Chatillon II Count Blois and Mathilde Guelders Countess Blois and Cleves [aged 47] were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of Reginald "Black" I Duke Guelders and Sophia Berthout Berthout. He the son of Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon and Jeanne Beaumont Count Soissons, Blois, Chatillon and Namur. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.
In 1381 John Chatillon II Count Blois died at Valciennes. His brother Guy succeeded II Count Blois.
In 1397 Louis Valois I Duke Orléans [aged 24] was appointed Count Blois.
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.
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Guy Chatillon II Count Blois and Marie Dampierre Countess Blois were married. She by marriage Countess Blois. She the daughter of William "Rich" Dampierre I Marquis Namur and Catherine Countess Eu and Guînes. He the son of Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon and Jeanne Beaumont Count Soissons, Blois, Chatillon and Namur. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
Theobald "Trickster" Blois I Count Blois was created I Count Blois.
Adelaide Blois Duchess Brittany was created I Countess Blois.
Stephen Blois II Count Blois and Chartres was killed during, or after, the battle. His son William succeeded Count Blois, Count Chartres.