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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Paternal Family Tree: Hesse
Maternal Family Tree: Antoinette Polignac 1460
On 27th April 1650 Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway was born to [her father] Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel [aged 20] and [her mother] Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern [aged 26].
On 16th July 1663 [her father] Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel [aged 34] died. His son [her brother] William [aged 12] succeeded VII Landgrave Hesse Kassel.
On 15th June 1667 Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 21] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 17] were married. She the daughter of Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern [aged 43]. He the son of Frederick III King of Denmark [aged 58] and Sophie Amalie Hanover Queen Consort Denmark [aged 39]. They were fourth cousins.
In 1670 William Hesse-Kassel [aged 19] died. His brother Charles [aged 15] succeeded I Landgrave Hesse Kassel.
On 9th February 1670 [her father-in-law] Frederick III King of Denmark [aged 60] died. His son [her husband] Christian [aged 23] succeeded V King of Denmark and Norway. Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 19] by marriage Queen Consort Denmark and Norway.
On 2nd October 1671 [her son] Frederick IV King of Denmark and Norway was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 25] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 21]. He married (1) 5th December 1695 his third cousin once removed Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway and had issue (2) 4th April 1721 Anne Sophie Reventlow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway.
On 1st December 1672 [her son] Christian Vilhelm Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 26] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 22]. He died aged less than one years old.
On 25th January 1673 [her son] Christian Vilhelm Oldenburg died.
Before 29th March 1674 [her brother] Charles I Landgrave Hesse-Kassel [aged 19] and [her sister-in-law] Maria Amalia of Courland Landgravine Hesse-Kassel [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Landgravine Hesse Kassel. He the son of [her father] Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel and [her mother] Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern [aged 50]. They were first cousins.
On 25th March 1675 [her son] Christian Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 28] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 24].
On 28th August 1677 [her daughter] Sophie Hedevig Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 31] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 27].
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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On 18th January 1679 [her daughter] Christiane Charlotte Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 32] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 28]. She died aged ten in 1689.
On 26th October 1680 [her son] Charles Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 34] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 30].
On 26th June 1683 [her mother] Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern [aged 59] died.
On 17th July 1683 [her daughter] Daughter Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 37] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 33]. She died aged less than one years old.
On 17th July 1683 [her daughter] Daughter Oldenburg died.
On 28th July 1683 [her brother-in-law] Prince George of Denmark 1st Duke Cumberland [aged 30] and Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 18] were married at Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. She the daughter of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 49] and Anne Hyde Duchess of York. He the son of [her father-in-law] Frederick III King of Denmark and [her mother-in-law] Sophie Amalie Hanover Queen Consort Denmark [aged 55]. They were second cousin once removed.
On 21st February 1687 [her son] Vilhelm Oldenburg was born to [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 40] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 36].
In 1689 [her brother-in-law] Prince George of Denmark 1st Duke Cumberland [aged 35] was created 1st Duke Cumberland by his father-in-law King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 55]. Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 23] by marriage Duchess Cumberland.
On 24th August 1689 [her daughter] Christiane Charlotte Oldenburg [aged 10] died.
On 27th June 1695 [her son] Christian Oldenburg [aged 20] died.
On 5th December 1695 Frederick IV King of Denmark and Norway [aged 24] and Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 28] were married. He the son of Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 49] and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 45]. They were third cousin once removed.
On 25th August 1699 [her husband] Christian V King of Denmark and Norway [aged 53] died. His son Frederick [aged 27] succeeded IV King of Denmark and Norway. Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 31] by marriage Queen Consort Denmark and Norway.
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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On 23rd November 1705 [her son] Vilhelm Oldenburg [aged 18] died.
On 27th March 1714 Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [aged 63] died of scarlet fever.
[her father] Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel and [her mother] Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern were married. She by marriage Landgravine Hesse Kassel. He the son of [her grandfather] Landgrave William V of Hesse-Kassel. They were fifth cousins.
Kings Wessex: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 10 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 24 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Philip V King France I King Navarre
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 22 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: William II Landgrave of Hesse 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Landgrave Philip I of Hesse 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William IV Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Duke of Saxony 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Christine of Saxony 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Barbara Jagiellon 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Landgrave Maurice of Hesse-Kassel 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandFather: Landgrave William V of Hesse-Kassel 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Father: Wilhelm "The Just" VI Hesse-Kassel 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Joachim Hohenzollern Margrave of Brandenburg 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John George Hohenzollern Margrave of Brandenburg 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Joachim Frederick Hohenzollern 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Princess Sophie of Legnica
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Sigismund Hohenzollern 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandFather: George William Hohenzollern 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Frederick Hohenzollern I Margrave Brandenburg-Ansbach
Great x 3 Grandfather: Albert "The Elder" Hohenzollern I Duke Prussia 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Sophia Jagiellon Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Albert Frederick Hohenzollern Duke Prussia 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Eric "The Elder" Guelph I Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anna Maria Guelph Duchess Prussia 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anna Hohenzollern 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John de la Marck III Duke Cleves 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William de la Marck Duke of Jülich Cleves Berg 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maria Jülich Berg Duchess Cleves
Great x 2 Grandmother: Marie Eleonore de la Marck 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maria Habsburg Spain Duchess Cleves 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Jagiellon 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Mother: Hedwig Sophia Hohenzollern 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John II Count Palatinate Simmern 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick III Elector Palatine 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Louis VI Elector Palatine 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Frederick IV Elector Palatine 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandMother: Elisabeth Charlotte Palatinate Simmern 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William "The Rich" I Count of Nassau Dillenburg
Great x 2 Grandfather: William "The Silent" Orange Nassau I Prince Orange
Great x 1 Grandmother: Electress Louise Juliana of the Palatine Rhine 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Louis Bourbon Prince of La Roche sur Yon 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Louis Duke of Montpensier 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Louise Bourbon Duchess of Monpensier 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Charlotte Bourbon Princess Orange 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Jean IV de Longwy Seigneur de Givry
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jacqueline de Longwy 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jeanne Valois 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England