William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

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Biography of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon 1105-1157

Paternal Family Tree: Ivrea

On 1st March 1105 Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon was born to [his father] Raymond Ivrea [aged 35] and [his mother] Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona [aged 25].

On 24th May 1107 [his father] Raymond Ivrea [aged 37] died.

On 1st July 1109 [his grandfather] Alfonso "Brave" VI King Leon VI King Castile [aged 68] died. His daughter [his mother] Urracca [aged 30] succeeded Queen Leon, Queen Castile and Queen Galicia.

In 1112 [his step-father] Alfonso I King Aragon I King Pamplona [aged 39] and [his mother] Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona [aged 32] were divorced.

In 1126 Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 20] succeeded VII King Castile, VII King Leon.

On 8th March 1126 [his mother] Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona [aged 46] died.

In November 1128 Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 23] and Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile, Queen Consort Leon. She the daughter of Raymond III Count Barcelona [aged 45] and Douce Gevaudan Countess Barcelona. He the son of Raymond Ivrea and Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona. They were third cousin once removed.

On 19th July 1131 [his father-in-law] Raymond III Count Barcelona [aged 48] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Raymond [aged 17] succeeded V Count Barcelona.

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 1134 [his son] Sancho III King Castile was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 28] and [his wife] Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 18]. He married 1151 his fourth cousin Blanche Ramirez Queen Consort Castile, daughter of García "Restorer" IV King Navarre and Marguerite Aigle Queen Consort Navarre, and had issue.

Around 1137 [his son] Ferdinand II King Leon was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 31] and [his wife] Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 21]. He married before 15th August 1171 his half second cousin Urraca Burgundy Queen Consort Leon, daughter of Afonso "Conqueror Founder Great" I King Portugal and Malfada Savoy Queen Consort Portugal, and had issue.

Around 1139 [his daughter] Sancha Ivrea was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 33] and [his wife] Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 23]. She was the fifth child of seven born to her parents. She married 20th July 1153 her fourth cousin Sancho "Wise" King Navarre, son of García "Restorer" IV King Navarre and Marguerite Aigle Queen Consort Navarre, and had issue.

Around 1140 [his daughter] Constance of Castile Queen of the Franks was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 34] and [his wife] Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 24]. She married 1154 her second cousin Louis VII King of the Franks, son of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France, and had issue.

On 15th January 1149 [his wife] Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon [aged 33] died.

In 1151 Sancho III King Castile [aged 17] and Blanche Ramirez Queen Consort Castile [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of García "Restorer" IV King Navarre and Marguerite Aigle Queen Consort Navarre. He the son of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 45] and Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon. They were fourth cousins.

In 1152 Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 46] and Richeza Unknown Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile, Queen Consort Leon. He the son of Raymond Ivrea and Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona.

In 1153 [his daughter] Ferdinand Ivrea was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 47] and [his wife] Richeza Unknown Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. She died aged four in 1157.

On 20th July 1153 [his son-in-law] Sancho "Wise" King Navarre [aged 21] and Sancha Ivrea [aged 14] were married. She the daughter of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 48] and Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon. He the son of García "Restorer" IV King Navarre and Marguerite Aigle Queen Consort Navarre. They were fourth cousins.

Louis VII marries Constance of Castile

In 1154 [his son-in-law] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 34] and Constance of Castile Queen of the Franks [aged 14] were married in Orléans. She by marriage Queen of the Franks. Somewhat curiously they were more closely related than Louis and his first wife Eleanor of Aquitaine [aged 32] whose marriage had been annulled on account of consanguinity. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 48] and Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon. He the son of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France. They were second cousins.

In 1155 [his daughter] Sancha Ivrea Queen Consort Aragon was born to Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 49] and [his wife] Richeza Unknown Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. She married her half third cousin once removed Alfonso II King Aragon, son of Raymond V Count Barcelona and Petronilla Jiménez Queen Aragon, and had issue.

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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In 1157 [his daughter] Ferdinand Ivrea [aged 4] died.

On 21st August 1157 Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 52] died. His son Sancho [aged 23] succeeded III King Castile. His son Ferdinand [aged 20] succeeded II King Leon.

[his father] Raymond Ivrea and [his mother] Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Alfonso "Brave" VI King Leon VI King Castile and [his grandmother] Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile and Leon. He the son of William I Count Burgundy and Ettiennette Countess Burgundy. They were fourth cousin once removed.

Royal Ancestors of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon 1105-1157

Kings Franks: Great x 10 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor

Kings France: Great x 3 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 7 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon 1105-1157
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Sancho III King Castile [1]

Ferdinand II King Leon [1]

Constance of Castile Queen of the Franks [1]

Sancho "Strong" VII King Navarre [1]

Sancha Ivrea Queen Consort Aragon [1]

Berengaria of Navarre Queen Consort England [1]

Theobald IV King Navarre [1]

Ancestors of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon 1105-1157

Great x 4 Grandfather: Berengar II King of Italy

Great x 3 Grandfather: Adalbert King of Italy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Willa Bosonids Queen Consort Italy

Great x 2 Grandfather: Otto William Ivrea I Count Burgundy

Great x 1 Grandfather: Reginald Ivrea I Count Burgundy

Great x 3 Grandfather: Renaud Unknown

Great x 2 Grandmother: Ermentrude Countess Burgundy

GrandFather: William I Count Burgundy

Great x 4 Grandfather: William "Longsword" I Duke Normandy

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard "Fearless" Normandy I Duke Normandy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Sprota

Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard "Good" Normandy II Duke Normandy

Great x 4 Grandfather: Unknown Dane

Great x 3 Grandmother: Gunnora Countess Ponthieu

Great x 1 Grandmother: Alice Normandy Countess Burgundy

Father: Raymond Ivrea

GrandMother: Ettiennette Countess Burgundy

Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon

Great x 2 Grandfather: Sancho "Great" III King Pamplona

Great x 4 Grandfather: Fernando Bermúdez

Great x 3 Grandmother: Jimena Fernández Bermúdez Queen Consort Pamplona

Great x 1 Grandfather: Ferdinand "Great" I King Leon

Great x 3 Grandfather: Sancho García

Great x 2 Grandmother: Muniadona García Queen Consort Pamplona

GrandFather: Alfonso "Brave" VI King Leon VI King Castile

Great x 2 Grandfather: Alfonso "Noble" V King Leon

Great x 4 Grandfather: García Fernández of Castile

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elviro Garcia Queen Galicia

Great x 1 Grandmother: Sancha Astur Leonese

Great x 3 Grandfather: Menendo González

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elvira González Queen Consort Leon

Mother: Urracca "Reckless" Jiménez Queen Consort Aragon and Pamplona

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh "Great" Capet Count Paris

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandmother: Hedwig Saxon Ottonian

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks

Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert I Duke Burgundy

Great x 2 Grandmother: Constance Arles Queen Consort France

Great x 4 Grandfather: Fulk "Good" Ingelger 2nd Count Anjou

Great x 3 Grandmother: Adelaide Blanche Ingelger Queen Consort West Francia

Great x 4 Grandmother: Gerberge Unknown Viscountess Anjou

GrandMother: Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile and Leon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Helie Samur Duchess Burgundy