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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On 28th June 1577 Peter Paul Rubens was born.
1605-1615. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 27]. Portrait of Vincenzo Gonzaga II Duke of Mantua [aged 10].
Vincenzo Gonzaga II Duke of Mantua: On 8th February 1594 he was born to Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua and Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.51%. On 29th October 1626 Ferdinando Gonzaga Duke of Mantua died. His brother Vincenzo succeeded Duke Mantua. On 25th December 1627 Vincenzo Gonzaga II Duke of Mantua died.
Around 1607. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 29]. "Marchesa Maria Serra Pallavicino". acquired by William Bankes (1786–1855) in 1840 as a portrait of the Marchesa Isabella Grimaldi. It would appear that the identification of the sitter had been made by the Grimaldi family, which had latterly owned it. When first referred to, in Ratti's guide to Genoa of 1780, the sitter was anonymous. New research into the heraldic motifs of the curtain drawn up above the sitter's head has identified her as Maria Serra, the wife of Niccolò Pallavicino, banker and host to Rubens' employer, Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga I of Mantua.
Around 1607. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 29]. "Marchesa Maria Grimaldi, and Her Dwarf".
1608-1609. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 30]. "Cain Slaying Abel".
1609. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 31]. Self-portrait known as 'The Honeysuckle Bower'.
On 3rd October 1609 Peter Paul Rubens [aged 32] and Isabella Brant [aged 18] were married.
1614. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 36]. "St. Sebastian".
1616. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 38]. "The Tiger Hunt".
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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1617-1618. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 39]. "Head of Medusa".
1622-25. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 44]. Portrait of Susanna Lunden née Forment (1599–1628) formerly known as 'Le Chapeau de Paille' i.e. 'The Straw Hat', the older sister of Rubens' future second wife Helena Fourment [aged 7]. The painting being the inspiration for Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun's painting 'Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat',
1623. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 45]. Self-portrait.
Around 1625. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 47]. Portrait of Anne of Austria Spain Queen Consort France [aged 23].
Around 1625. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 47]. Portrait of Anne of Austria Spain Queen Consort France [aged 23] in her coronation robes.
On 15th July 1626 [his wife] Isabella Brant [aged 35] died.
1627-28. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 49]. Portrait of Anthony Van Dyck [aged 27].
1628. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 50]. "Allegory of War".
Around 1629 Peter Paul Rubens [aged 51]. Portrait of Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 43].
1630. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 52]. "Joan of Arc".
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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In 1630 Peter Paul Rubens [aged 52] and Helena Forment [aged 15] were married. The difference in their ages was 36 years.
1630. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 52]. "Teresa of Avila's Vision of the Dove".
Around 1630. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 52]. Portrait of [his wife] Helena Forment [aged 15] in her Wedding Dress.
1630-1609. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 52]. "Baldassare Castiglione".
1635. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 57]. Portrait of [his wife] Helena Forment [aged 20].
1635. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 57]. Portrait of [his wife] Helena Forment [aged 20] with her son Frans.
1636-1638. Peter Paul Rubens [aged 58]. '[his wife] Helena Forment [aged 21] in a Fur Wrap'.
On 30th May 1640 Peter Paul Rubens [aged 62] died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 4th October 1641. The lodgings here are very handsome and convenient. I lost little time; but, with the aid of one Mr. Lewkner, our conductor, we visited divers churches, colleges, and monasteries. The Church of the Jesuits is most sumptuous and magnificent; a glorious fabric without and within, wholly incrusted with marble, inlaid and polished into divers representations of histories, landscapes, and flowers. On the high altar is placed the statue of the Blessed Virgin and our Saviour in white marble, with a boss in the girdle set mth very fair and rich sapphires, and divers other stones of price. The choir is a glorious piece of architecture; the pulpit supported by four angels, and adorned with other carvings, and rare pictures by Rubens, now lately dead, and divers votive tables and relics. Hence, to the Vrou Kirk, or N6tre Dame of Antwerp: it is a very venerable fabric, built after the Gothic manner, especially the tower, which I ascended, the better to take a view of the country adjacent; which, happening on a day when the sun shone exceedingly bright, and darted his rays without any interruption, afforded so bright a reflection to us who were above, and had a full prospect of both land and water about it, that I was much confirmed in my opinion of the moon's being of some such substance as this earthly globe. Perceiving all the subjacent country, at so small an horizontal distance, to repercuss such a light as I could hardly look against, save where the river and other large water within our view, appeared of a more dark and uniform colour, resembling those spots in the moon supposed to be seas there, according to Hevelius, and as they appear in our late telescopes. I numbered in this church thirty privileged altars, that of St. Sebastian adorned with a painting of his martyrdom.
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th October 1641. Being the morning I came away, I went to see the Prince's Court, an ancient, confused building, not much unlike the Hofft, at the Hague: there is here likewise a very large Hall, where they vend all sorts of wares. Through this we passed by the chapel, which is indeed rarely arched, and in the middle of it was the hearse, or catafalco, of the late Archduchess, the wise and pious Clara Eugenia. Out of this we were conducted to the lodgings, tapestried with incomparable arras, and adorned with many excellent pieces of Rubens, old and young Breugel, Titian, and Stenwick, with stories of most of the late actions in the Netherlands.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 8th October 1641. By an accident, we could not see the library. There is a fair terrace which looks to the vineyard, in which, on Pedestals, are fixed the statues of all the Spanish kings of the house of Austria. The opposite walls are painted by Rubens, being an history of the late tumults in Belgia: in the last piece, the Archduchess shuts a great pair of gates upon Mars, who is coming out of hell, armed, and in a menacing posture; which, with that other of the Infanta taking leave of Don Philip the Fourth, is a most incomparable table.
1650. Peter Paul Rubens. Portrait of George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham [aged 21].
On 15th July 1673 [his former wife] Helena Forment [aged 59] died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st June 1693. I saw a great auction of pictures in the Banqueting house, Whitehall [Map]. They had been my Lord Melford's [aged 42], now Ambassador from King James [aged 59] at Rome, and engaged to his creditors here. Lord Mulgrave [aged 45] and Sir Edward Seymour [aged 60] came to my house, and desired me to go with them to the sale. Divers more of the great lords, etc., were there, and bought pictures dear enough. There were some very excellent of Vandyke, Rubens, and Bassan. Lord Godolphin [aged 48] bought the picture of the Boys, by Murillo the Spaniard, for 80 guineas, dear enough; my nephew Glanville, the old Earl of Arundel's head by Rubens, for £20. Growing late, I did not stay till all were sold.
