Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV 1393-1406

The Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV offers a vivid contemporary account of one of the most turbulent periods in late medieval England. Covering the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV, the chronicle records royal ceremonies, political conflict, rebellion, war, taxation, religious controversy, executions, popular unrest and remarkable portents. Its pages include a detailed description of Richard II’s coronation, the fall and deposition of the king, Henry IV’s seizure of the throne, the Percy rebellion, the execution of Archbishop Richard Scrope, the campaigns of Owain Glyndŵr, and England’s relations with Scotland, France, Portugal and Scandinavia. Alongside affairs of state, the annalist preserves reports of miracles, eclipses, prophecies, supernatural events and the experiences of ordinary townspeople, clergy, soldiers and travellers. Written from a monastic perspective, the work combines political observation with moral judgement, presenting victories and disasters as evidence of divine favour or punishment. At once a historical record and a reflection of medieval belief, the Annals provides an invaluable window into the challenges, ceremonies and conflicts of England at the turn of the fifteenth century.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

King Erix XIV of Sweden 1533-1577

On 13th December 1533 King Erix XIV of Sweden was born to King Gustav I of Sweden [aged 37].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 5th October 1559. [The] v day of October cam to [London by Ald]gatt the prynse of Sweythen [aged 25], and [so to Leadenhall], and done [down] Gracyous-strett [Map] corner in a howse stod [the lord] marques of Northamtun [aged 47] and my lord Ambros Dudley [aged 29] [and other gentlemen and] lades; and my lord of Oxford [aged 43] browth (him) from Col[chester] [Map] and my lord Robart Dudley [aged 27], the master of the quen('s) horse; and trumpettes bloyng in dyvers places; and thay had [a great] nombur of gentyllmen ryd with cheynes a-for them, and after them a ij C [200] of yomen rydyng, and so rydyng over the bryge unto the bysshope of Wynchastur plasse [Map], for [it] was rychely hangyd with ryche cloth of arres, wrought with gold and sylver and sylke, and ther he remanyth.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 12th October 1559. The xij day of October whent by water unto the court the [his father] kyng of Sweythen('s) [aged 63] sune [aged 25], and ys gard, and ther he was honorabull reseyvyd with mony honorabull men at the hall-dore, wher the gard stod in ther ryche cottes, unto the quen('s) chambur, and ther he was reseyvyd of the Quen('s) [aged 26] grace, and after he had grett chere as cold be had.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 19th October 1559. The xix day of October the prynche of Swaythen [aged 25] whent to the court agayn, for my lord Robart Dudley [aged 27] gave ym a grett bankett [banquet].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 1st January 1560. The furst day of January the prynche of Swaythen [aged 26] rod to the cowrt gorgyusle and rychele, and in gard in velvet jerkyns and holbardes in ther handes, and mony gentyll-men gorgyosly with chenes of gold.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 11th April 1560. The xj day of Aprell toke ys jorney from the byshope of Wynchastur('s) plasse the duke of Swaynland [Note. Possibly King Erix XIV of Sweden [aged 26] but he has been previously referred to a Prince, or Duke Adolph Oldenburg of Holstein-Gotorp [aged 34] who arrived on 29 Mar 1560], the wyche he kept the nobulle howse that ever dyd stranger in England for cher, for he spent more and gayff grett gyftes and reywardes as a ...

On 29th September 1560 [his father] King Gustav I of Sweden [aged 64] died. His son Erix [aged 26] succeeded XIV King Sweden.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30th August 1561. The xxx day of August tydans cam that the kyng of Sweden [aged 27] was sendyng (blank) of waganns laden with massé bol [lion.]

Henry Machyn's Diary. 15th September 1561. The xv day of September tydynges cam to London [that] the kynge of Sweythland [aged 27] was landyd in the North at ...., and yt be truw as the sayng was then.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 3rd October 1561. [The iij day of October came to London to Gracechurch] strett, to the Cross-keys, xviij grett horses [all pyed-coloured] from the kyng of Swaythland [aged 27].

On 26th February 1577 King Erix XIV of Sweden [aged 43] died.