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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Paternal Family Tree: Cecil
Before 14th March 1754 [his father] Thomas Cecil [aged 26] and [his mother] Charlotte Garnier were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Brownlow Cecil 8th Earl Exeter [aged 52].
On 14th March 1754 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter was born to Thomas Cecil [aged 26] and Charlotte Garnier.
In 1776 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 21] and Emma Vernon were married.
Around 1777 Douglas Hamilton 8th Duke Hamilton 5th Duke Brandon [aged 20] and [his future wife] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Duchess Hamilton, Duchess Brandon of Suffolk. He the son of James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon and Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 43].
On 14th August 1778 [his father] Thomas Cecil [aged 50] died.
On 20th December 1790 Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 57] died in Argyll House 211 King's Road King's Road. Her son Douglas [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire. [his future wife] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 33] by marriage Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire.
On 3rd October 1791 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 37] and Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 17] were married at St Mildred's Church, Bread Street.
In February 1792 [his daughter] Sophia Cecil was born to Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 37] and [his wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 18] at Great Bolas, Shropshire. She married 1818 Henry Manvers Pierrepont, son of Charles Medows aka Pierrepont 1st Earl Manvers and Anne Mills Countess Manvers, and had issue.
In 1793 [his son] Henry Cecil was born to Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 38] and [his wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 19] at Great Bolas, Shropshire.
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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On 26th December 1793 [his uncle] Brownlow Cecil 9th Earl Exeter [aged 68] died. His nephew Henry [aged 39] succeeded 10th Earl Exeter, 11th Baron Burghley. [his wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 19] by marriage Countess Exeter.
1794. Thomas Lawrence [aged 24]. Portrait of Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 39] with his second wife Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 20].
Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter: In 1774 she was born to Thomas Hoggins. On 3rd October 1791 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter and she were married at St Mildred's Church, Bread Street. On 26th December 1793 Brownlow Cecil 9th Earl Exeter died. His nephew Henry succeeded 10th Earl Exeter, 11th Baron Burghley. She by marriage Countess Exeter. In 1797 she died.
On 2nd July 1795 [his son] Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter was born to Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 41] and [his wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 21]. He married 12th May 1824 Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter and had issue.
In 1797 [his wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter [aged 23] died.
On 1st January 1797 [his son] Thomas Cecil was born to Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 42] and [his former wife] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter. He married 8th August 1838 Sophia Georgiana Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox 4th Duke Richmond and Charlotte Gordon Duchess Richmond.
In 1800 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 45] and Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 42] were married. She by marriage Countess Exeter.
In February 1801 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 46] was created 1st Marquess Exeter. [his wife] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 43] by marriage Marchioness Exeter.
On 1st May 1804 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 50] died. His son Brownlow [aged 8] succeeded 2nd Marquess Exeter, 11th Earl Exeter, 12th Baron Burghley.
On 17th January 1837 [his former wife] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 79] died. She was buried in the Northumberland Vault, Crypt, Westminster Abbey.
Kings Wessex: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 19 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 10 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 13 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: David Cecil 3rd Earl Exeter 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Cecil 4th Earl Exeter 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Egerton Countess Exeter 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Cecil 5th Earl Exeter 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Manners 8th Earl of Rutland 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Manners Countess Exeter 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Montagu Countess Rutland 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Cecil 6th Earl Exeter 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Cavendish Countess Exeter 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Brownlow Cecil 8th Earl Exeter 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Brownlow 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Brownlow 2nd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Duncombe 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Brownlow 3rd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Freke of Stretton in Dorset
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Freke Lady Brownlow
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Brownlow Countess Exeter
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Sherard of Lobthorpe
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Sherard of Lobthorpe
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Brownlow
Great x 2 Grandmother: Alice Sherard Baroness Brownlow
Great x 4 Grandfather: Lumley Dewe of Bishop Upton in Hereforeshire
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Dewe
Father: Thomas Cecil 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Mother: Charlotte Garnier