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: Obertenghi aka Welf
On 21st July 1476 Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio was born to [his father] Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 44).
In 1480 [his father] Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 48) was appointed 219th Knight of the Garter by King Edward IV of England (age 37).
In January 1491 Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 14) and Anne Sforza (age 14) were married. She the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and Bona of Savoy (age 41). He the son of Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 59).
On 12th January 1491 a double wedding ceremony was held between the Este and Visconti families of Milan. Leonardo da Vinci orchestrated the celebrations.
Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 14) and Anne Sforza (age 14) were married fourteen years after their bethrothal. She the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and Bona of Savoy (age 41). He the son of Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 59).
Ludovico Sforza Duke Milan (age 38) and Beatrice Este (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 22 years. She the daughter of Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara. He the son of Francesco Sforza I Duke Milan and Bianca Maria Visconti.
In 1494 Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 34) and [his sister-in-law] Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress (age 22) were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. She the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and [his mother-in-law] Bona of Savoy (age 44). He the son of Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress. They were third cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 21st October 1494 [his brother-in-law] Gian Galeazzo Sforza 6th Duke Milan (age 25) died. His uncle Ludovico (age 42) succeeded Duke Milan.
On 30th November 1497 [his wife] Anne Sforza (age 21) died in childbirth. Some sources reported that her child, a son, died immediately after being baptised; others, say that he survived and was named Alessandro, dying in 1514 aged 17. She was buried in the monastery of San Vito.
In 1501 Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 24) and Lucrezia Borgia (age 20) were married. He the son of Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 69).
On 15th June 1505 [his father] Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara (age 73) died. His son Alfonso (age 28) succeeded I Duke Ferrara.
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 5th April 1508 [his son] Ercole Este II Duke Ferrara was born to Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 31) and [his wife] Lucrezia Borgia (age 27). He married April 1528 Renée of France Duchess of Ferrara, daughter of Louis XII King France and Anne of Brittany Queen Consort France, and had issue.
On 24th June 1519 [his wife] Lucrezia Borgia (age 39) died.
On 10th March 1527 [his illegitimate son] Alfonso Este Lord Montecchio was born illegitimately to Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 50).
In April 1528 [his son] Ercole Este II Duke Ferrara (age 19) and [his daughter-in-law] Renée of France Duchess of Ferrara (age 17) were married. She the daughter of Louis XII King France and Anne of Brittany Queen Consort France (age 51). He the son of Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 51) and [his former wife] Lucrezia Borgia.
1534. Dosso Dossi (age 45). Portrait of Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 57) as a Knight of the Order of Saint Michael.
On 31st October 1534 Alfonso Este I Duke Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (age 58) died. His son Ercole (age 26) succeeded II Duke Ferrara. [his daughter-in-law] Renée of France Duchess of Ferrara (age 24) by marriage Duchess Ferrara.
Kings Franks: Great x 19 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Great x 4 Grandfather: Obizzo Este II Marquis of Ferrara
Great x 3 Grandfather: Aldobrandino Este II Marquis of Ferrara
Great x 2 Grandfather: Obizzo Este III Marquis of Ferrara
Great x 1 Grandfather: Alberto Este Marquis of Ferrara
GrandFather: Niccolò Este III Marquis of Ferrara
Father: Ercole Este I Duke Ferrara