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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Canaletto is in Painters.
On 18th October 1697 Canaletto was born. His given name was Giovanni Antonio Canal. He came to be known as Canaletto meaning Little Canal or Canal Junior.
Around 1735. Canaletto [aged 37]. The Interior of the King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey [Map].
Around 1745. Canaletto [aged 47]. Old Somerset House [Map].
Around 1746. Canaletto [aged 48]. The Grand Walk at Vauxhall Gardens.
Around 1746. Canaletto [aged 48]. The City of Westminster from River Thames near the York Water Gate, York House [Map] with Westminster Bridge [Map] under construction.
Around 1747. Canaletto [aged 49]. View across the River Thames to Westminster Abbey [Map] and Westminster Hall [Map].
Around 1747. Canaletto [aged 49]. Westminster Bridge [Map], with the Lord Mayor's Procession on the Thames.
Around 1748. Canaletto [aged 50]. Warwick Castle [Map].
Around 1749. Canaletto [aged 51]. View of Whitehall, Old Horse Guards and Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace [Map].
Around 1749. Canaletto [aged 51]. View of St James' Park [Map].
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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1749. Canaletto [aged 51]. Westminster Abbey [Map] with a procession of Knights of the Bath. St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map] adjacent with the flag.
Around 1749. Canaletto [aged 51]. View of Whitehall, New Horse Guards.
Around 1750. Canaletto [aged 52]. Alnwick Castle, Northumberland [Map].
Around 1750. Canaletto [aged 52]. Westminster from near the Terrace of Somerset House [Map] In the distance the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace [Map], Westminster Abbey [Map] and Westminster Bridge [Map].
Around 1750. Canaletto [aged 52]. The City from near the Terrace of Somerset House [Map] with St Paul's Cathedral [Map].
Around 1751. Canaletto [aged 53]. Royal Hospital Chelsea, Rotunda Ranelagh Gardens Chelsea and Ranelagh House.
Around 1752. Canaletto [aged 54]. Greenwich Hospital [Map] from the North Bank of the Thames.
Around 1752. Canaletto [aged 54]. Warwick Castle [Map] East Front from the Courtyard.
1754. Canaletto [aged 56]. Walton on Thames Bridge [Map]. Commissioned by Thomas Hollis [aged 33].
Thomas Hollis: On 14th April 1720 he was born. In 1757 Thomas Hollis was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. On 1st January 1774 he died.
1754. Canaletto [aged 56]. Walton on Thames Bridge [Map].
Around 1754. Canaletto [aged 56]. View across the River Thames to Eton College [Map] with the new Eton College Chapel [Map] visible in white stone and the original Tudor buildings in red brick.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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Around 1754. Canaletto [aged 56]. View of the interior of the Rotunda Ranelagh Gardens Chelsea.
Around 1754. Canaletto [aged 56]. St Paul's Cathedral [Map].
Around 1763. Canaletto [aged 65]. Northumberland House looking towards Strand [Map]. Note the Percy Lion; crest of the Duke Northumberland. And the statue of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland which remains in situ on the corner of what is now the south-east corner of .
On 19th April 1768 Canaletto [aged 70] died.
