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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Before 29th April 1843 [her father] Demetrios Cassavetti and [her mother] Euphrosyne m Cassavetti were married.
On 29th April 1843 Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco was born to [her father] Demetrios Cassavetti and [her mother] Euphrosyne m Cassavetti.
In 1858 [her father] Demetrios Cassavetti died. His daughter Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 14] inherited his fortune allowing her to live an independent life.
In 1860 Dr Zambaco and Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 16] were married.
1866. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 32]. Study of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 22].
In 1866 Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 22] left her husband in France and returned to London to live with her mother around which time she first met Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 32].
1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 41]. Portrait of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 41]. Portrait of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. "The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River". Left to right: Maria Zambaco [aged 26], Marie Spartali Stillman [aged 25], and Aglaïa Coronio née Ionides [aged 35].
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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Around 1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. "Phyllis and Demophoon". Model Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26]. The moment after the embraces the almond tree into which she was said to have transformed after death.
Around 1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. Study of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. Portrait of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
Around 1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. "Cupid and Psyche". The models Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25] and Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
1871. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 37]. Drawing of Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 27].
1874 to 1877. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 40]. "The Beguiling of Merlin". Model Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 30]. In the collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery [Map]. The painting was commissioned by Frederick Richards Leyland [aged 42].
Before 1880 Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 36] studied art at the Slade School of Art under Alphonse Legros and Auguste Rodin.
1882. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 48]. "The Tree of Forgiveness". Model Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 38].
On 14th July 1914 Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 71] died.