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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Convention Parliament is in 1660-1684 Restoration.
On 25th April 1660...
Thomas Thynne [aged 50] was elected MP Hindon.
Henry Carey 4th Viscount Falkland [aged 26] was elected MP Oxfordshire.
Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 29] was elected MP Derbyshire.
John Glynne [aged 58] was elected MP Caernarfonshire.
William Glynne 1st Baronet [aged 22] was elected MP Caernarfon.
Francis Godolphin [aged 54] was elected MP Heytesbury.
Richard Jennings [aged 41] was elected MP St Albans.
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In 1659 John Bernard 2nd Baronet [aged 28] was elected MP Huntingdon in the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 John Carew 3rd Baronet [aged 24] was elected MP Cornwall during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 Edward Hungerford [aged 27] was elected MP Chippenham during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 Robert Pierrepont [aged 23] was elected MP Nottingham after the selected candidate John Hutchinson was evicted as a regicide.
In 1660 William Willoughby 6th Baron Willoughby of Parham [aged 44] was elected MP Midhurst during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 Hender Robartes [aged 24] was elected MP Bodmin during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 William Wyndham 1st Baronet [aged 28] was elected MP Taunton during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 James Herbert [aged 37] was elected MP Queenborough in the Convention Parliament.
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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In 1660 Robert Robartes [aged 25] was elected MP Cornwall during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 William Borlase [aged 39] was elected MP Great Marlow in the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 Robert Pye [aged 40] was elected MP Berkshire during the Convention Parliament.
In 1660 Thomas Crew 2nd Baron Crew [aged 36] was elected MP Brackley during the Convention Parliament.
In March 1660 Roger Palmer 1st Earl Castlemaine [aged 26] was elected MP Windsor during the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 Thomas Archer [aged 41] was elected MP Warwickshire during the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 William Wray 1st Baronet [aged 35] was elected MP Grimsby during the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 Thomas Coventry 1st Earl Coventry [aged 31] was elected MP Droitwich during the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 Wentworth Fitzgerald 17th Earl of Kildare [aged 26] was elected MP East Retford during the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 Francis Bacon [aged 59] was elected MP Ipswich in the Convention Parliament.
In April 1660 Robert Brooke [aged 23] was elected MP Aldeburgh during the Convention Parliament.
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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In August 1660 Thomas Tomkins [aged 55] was elected MP Weobley in the Convention Parliament.
Before 31st August 1660 John Drake 1st Baronet [aged 35] was elected MP Bridport during the Convention Parliament.