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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Paternal Family Tree: Taylour
On 4th July 1754 [his father] Thomas Taylour 1st Earl of Bective (age 29) and [his mother] Jane Rowley (age 20) were married.
On 31st October 1763 Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford was born to [his father] Thomas Taylour 1st Earl of Bective (age 39) and [his mother] Jane Rowley (age 29).
On 5th December 1778 [his brother] Thomas Taylour 1st Marquess of Headfort (age 21) and [his sister-in-law] Mary Quin Marchioness of Headfort were married.
In 1791 Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 27) was elected MP Trim which seat he held until 1795 when he was raised to the Peerage.
In January 1794 Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 30) and Frances Rowley Baroness Langford (age 19) were married. They were first cousins.
In 1795 Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 31) was created 1st Baron Langford of Summerhill in Meath. [his wife] Frances Rowley Baroness Langford (age 20) by marriage Baroness Langford of Summerhill in Meath.
In 1795 [his son] Hercules Rowley 2nd Baron Langford was born to Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 31) and [his wife] Frances Rowley Baroness Langford (age 20).
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 14th February 1795 [his father] Thomas Taylour 1st Earl of Bective (age 70) died.
On 24th March 1796 [his uncle] Hercules Rowley 2nd Viscount Langford (age 58) died unmarried. Viscount Langford of Longford Lodge extinct. Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 32) succeeded to the Rowley estates at which time he changed his surname from Taylour to Rowley.
On 29th December 1800 [his brother] Thomas Taylour 1st Marquess of Headfort (age 43) was created 1st Marquess of Headfort. [his sister-in-law] Mary Quin Marchioness of Headfort by marriage Marchioness of Headfort.
In 1818 [his mother] Jane Rowley (age 84) died.
On 13th September 1825 Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford (age 61) died. His son Hercules (age 30) succeeded 2nd Baron Langford of Summerhill in Meath.
On 30th April 1860 [his former wife] Frances Rowley Baroness Langford (age 85) died.
Clotworthy Taylour aka Rowley 1st Baron Langford
GrandFather: Hercules Langford Rowley Viscount Langford
Mother: Jane Rowley
GrandMother: Elizabeth Rowley 1st Viscountess Langford