This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Paternal Family Tree: Astur Leonese
Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon and Aragonta González Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Leon, Queen Consort Galicia. He the son of Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias and Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias.
Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon and Elvira Menéndez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Leon, Queen Consort Galicia. He the son of Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias and Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias.
Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon and Sancha Jiménez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Leon, Queen Consort Galicia. She the daughter of Sancho I King Pamplona and Toda Aznárez. He the son of Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias and Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias.
Around 873 Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon was born to [his father] Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias (age 25) and [his mother] Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias.
Around 890 [his son] King Alfonso IV of Leon and IV of Galicia was born to Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon (age 17) and Elvira Menéndez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia. He married Oneca Jiménez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia and had issue.
Around 895 [his son] King Sancho of Galicia was born to Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon (age 22) and Elvira Menéndez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia. He married Goto Menéndez Queen Consort Galicia.
Around 900 [his son] Ramiro II King Leon was born to Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon (age 27) and Elvira Menéndez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia. He married (1) Urraca Jiménez Queen Consort Leon (2) Adosinda Gutiérrez Osóriz Queen Consort Leon and had issue.
On 20th December 910 [his father] Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias (age 62) died. His son [his brother] García (age 39) succeeded I King Leon. His son [his brother] Fruela (age 35) succeeded II King Asturias. His son Ordoño (age 37) succeeded II King Galicia.
On 19th January 914 [his brother] García I King Leon (age 43) died. His brother Ordoño (age 41) succeeded II King Leon.
Before 917 [his brother] Fruela II King Asturias II King Leon King Galicia (age 41) and [his sister-in-law] Urraca bint Abd Allah Unknown Queen Consort Asturias Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Asturias, Queen Consort Leon, Queen Consort Galicia. He the son of [his father] Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias and [his mother] Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias.
In June 924 Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon (age 51) died. His brother [his brother] Fruela (age 49) succeeded II King Leon, King Galicia.
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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[his daughter] Jimena Jiménez was born to Ordoño II King Galicia II King Leon and Elvira Menéndez Queen Consort Leon Queen Consort Galicia.
[his father] Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias and [his mother] Jimena Pamplona Queen Consort Asturias were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Asturias. He the son of [his grandfather] Ordoño I King Asturias and [his grandmother] Muniadona Unknown Queen Consort Asturias.
GrandFather: Ordoño I King Asturias
Father: Alfonso "Great" III King Asturias
GrandMother: Muniadona Unknown Queen Consort Asturias