The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.
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On 4th November 1592 Gerrit van Honthorst was born.
In 1635 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 42]. Portrait of Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine.
1642. Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 49]. Portrait of Luise Henriette Orange Nassau [aged 14].
In 1642 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 49]. Portrait of Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia [aged 45].
In 1649 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 56]. Portrait of Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 13].
In 1650 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 57]. Portrait of Louise Hollandine Palatinate Simmern [aged 28].
Louise Hollandine Palatinate Simmern: In 1622 she was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. She a granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. In 1709 Louise Hollandine Palatinate Simmern died.
Before 1651 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 58]. Portrait of Henriette Marie Palatinate Simmern [aged 24].
Henriette Marie Palatinate Simmern: In 1626 she was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. She a granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. In 1651 Henriette Marie Palatinate Simmern died.
In 1651 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 58]. Portrait of Elisabeth Nassau Beverweert Countess Arlington [aged 17].
In 1651 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 58]. Portrait of Electress Sophia Palatinate Simmern [aged 20].
Electress Sophia Palatinate Simmern: On 14th October 1630 she was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. She a granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. On 30th September 1658 Ernest Augustus Hanover Elector Brunswick-Lüneburg and she were married. She the daughter of Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. He the son of George Hanover Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg and Anne Eleonore Hesse Darmstadt Duchess Brunswick-Lüneburg. On 21st November 1682 George Louis of Hanover and Sophia Dorothea of Celle were married. The marriage had been arranged by their respective fathers Ernest Augustus Hanover Elector Brunswick-Lüneburg and George Wilhelm Hanover Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg, and his mother Electress Sophia Palatinate Simmern. She the illegitmate daughter of George Wilhelm Hanover Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg and Eleonore Esmier D'Olbreuse Duchess Brunswick-Lüneburg. He the son of Ernest Augustus Hanover Elector Brunswick-Lüneburg and Electress Sophia Palatinate Simmern. They were first cousins. He a great grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. On 8th June 1714 Electress Sophia Palatinate Simmern died.
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 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of Elisabeth Palatinate Simmern [aged 37].
Elisabeth Palatinate Simmern: On 26th December 1618 she was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. She a granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. On 11th February 1680 Elisabeth Palatinate Simmern died.
Before 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of Charles Louis Palatinate Simmern [aged 38].
Before 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland [aged 36].
Before 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of Mary Stewart Princess Orange [aged 24].
Before 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of Edward Palatinate Simmern [aged 30].
Edward Palatinate Simmern: On 5th October 1625 he was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia at The Hague. He a grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. On 24th April 1645 Edward Palatinate Simmern and Anne Marie Gonzaga were married. She the daughter of Charles Gonzaga I Duke Mantua. He the son of Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia. They were fourth cousin twice removed. He a grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. In 1649 he was appointed 445th Knight of the Garter by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. On 10th March 1663 Edward Palatinate Simmern died at Paris [Map].
Before 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63]. Portrait of William Craven 1st Earl Craven [aged 47].
On 27th April 1656 Gerrit van Honthorst [aged 63] died.