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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Between 1590 and 1593. John Critz [aged 39]. Portrait of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton [aged 16]. The Latin inscription 'In vinculis invictus' ("in chains unconquered")
Around 1602 John Critz [aged 51]. Portrait of Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury [aged 38].
Around 1604 John Critz [aged 53] is believed to have contributed to the Somerset House Conference painting of the negotiation of the Treaty of London in which Thomas Sackville 1st Earl Dorset [aged 68], Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham [aged 68], Charles Blount 1st Earl Devonshire [aged 41], Henry Howard 1st Earl of Northampton [aged 63] and Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury [aged 40] are represented on the right side.
Around 1605 John Critz [aged 54]. Portrait of Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland [aged 30].
Around 1605 John Critz [aged 54]. Portrait of Anne Vavasour [aged 45].
Around 1605 John Critz [aged 54]. Portrait of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 38] with Garter Collar and Leg Garter.
Around 1606 John Critz [aged 55]. Portrait of Lucy Harrington Countess Bedford [aged 26].
In 1607 Robert "The Elder" Peake [aged 56] was appointed Sarjeant Painter to King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 40] sharing the office with John Critz [aged 56].
In 23rd June 1607 Princess Sophia Stewart died. She was buried in Westminster Abbey were she has a monument resembling a crib by Maximilian Colt [aged 32], gilded by John Critz [aged 56].
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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In 1609 John Critz [aged 58] and Sarah Pookes were married. She the widow of Cornelis de Neve the Elder and mother of painter Corneilus de Neve [aged 7].
Around 1615 John Critz [aged 64]. Portrait of William Parker 4th Baron Monteagle 14th Baron Marshal 13th Baron Morley [aged 40].
Around 1615 John Critz [aged 64]. Portrait of Mary Sidney Lady Wroth [aged 28] holding a Theorbo.
Mary Sidney Lady Wroth: In 1587 she was born to Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester and Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester. In 1683 Mary Sidney Lady Wroth died.
Before 14th March 1642 John Critz [aged 91] died. He was buried on 14 Mar 1642.