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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Sibia Fortia Queen Consort Aragon was born to Berenguer de Fortià and Francesca de Vilamarí.
On 24th January 1336 Alfonso IV King Aragon [aged 36] died. His son [her future husband] Peter [aged 16] succeeded IV King Aragon.
On 23rd July 1338 [her future husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 18] and Maria Évreux Queen Consort Aragon [aged 9] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. She the daughter of Philip "Noble" III King Navarre [aged 32] and Joan Capet II Queen Navarre [aged 26]. He the son of Alfonso IV King Aragon and Teresa Enteca Queen Consort Aragon. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
On 15th November 1347 [her future husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 28] and Eleanor Burgundy Queen Consort Aragon [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. She the daughter of Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal [aged 56] and Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 54]. He the son of Alfonso IV King Aragon and Teresa Enteca Queen Consort Aragon. They were second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 27th August 1349 [her future husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 29] and Eleanor of Sicily Queen Consort Aragon [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. He the son of Alfonso IV King Aragon and Teresa Enteca Queen Consort Aragon. They were second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
In 1376 [her illegitimate son] Alfonso Barcelona was born illegitimately to [her future husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 56] and Sibia Fortia Queen Consort Aragon.
In 1377 [her illegitimate son] Alfonso Barcelona [aged 1] died.
On 11th October 1377 Peter IV King Aragon [aged 58] and Sibia Fortia Queen Consort Aragon were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. He the son of Alfonso IV King Aragon and Teresa Enteca Queen Consort Aragon.
In April 1379 [her son] Peter Barcelona died.
In April 1379 [her son] Peter Barcelona was born to [her husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 59] and Sibia Fortia Queen Consort Aragon. He died aged less than one years old.
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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Before 4th October 1379 John I King Castile [aged 21] and [her step-daughter] Eleanor Barcelona Queen Consort Castile [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [her husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 60] and Eleanor of Sicily Queen Consort Aragon. He the son of Henry "Fratricide" II King Castile and Juana Manuel Queen of Castile [aged 40]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
In 1380 [her daughter] Isabella Barcelona was born to [her husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 60] and Sibia Fortia Queen Consort Aragon.
On 2nd February 1380 [her step-son] King John I of Aragon [aged 29] and Yolande of Bar Queen Consort Aragon [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. She the daughter of Robert of Bar 1st Duke of Bar [aged 35] and Marie Valois Duchess Bar [aged 35]. He the son of [her husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 60] and Eleanor of Sicily Queen Consort Aragon. They were third cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 13th September 1382 [her step-daughter] Eleanor Barcelona Queen Consort Castile [aged 24] died.
In 1385 [her step-daughter] Joanna Barcelona [aged 40] died.
On 6th January 1387 [her husband] Peter IV King Aragon [aged 67] died. His son [her step-son] John [aged 36] succeeded I King Aragon.