Biographies
Biographies
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

Biographies of lesser people

The people listed on this page currently have less information so do not warrant a page of their own. As this website evolves and more information is added these people will be promoted to individual pages.

Adelaide (of Savoy)

Died: 1154

Wife of Louis VI, king of France and mother of Louis VII, king of France.

Adelard (of Bath)

Born: circa 1090 Died: circa 1160

Born in the late eleventh century, he studied and taught in France before going to Spain to learn Arabic. This allowed him to translate the Elements of Euclid. He travelled to Africa and Greece (learning the language) and Asia Minor. Back in England in 1130, he wrote several books on scientific information.

Aelred (of Rievaulx)

Born: 1109 Died: 1166

Aelred was an English historian and was born in Hexham in Northumbria. He was a steward to Kind David of Scotland before becoming a monk at Rievaulx Abbey. At Rievaulx he devoted himself to writing historical works. He became the Abbot at Rievaulx Abbey.

See Also

People

Places

Aethelred (of Mercia)

Died: 911

Aethelred of Mercia married Edward the Elder's sister Aethelfead and assisted Edward the Elder in battles against the Danes. After Aethelred's death in 911 Aethelfead ruled Mercia in her own right and together with her brother continued the fight against the Danes and Danelaw until her death in 918.

See Also

People

Aethelstan (son of Aethelred)

First son of Aethelred (the Unready)

See Also

People

 

Family Tree Details

Father:Aethelred (II The Unready, King of the English 978-1013, 1014-1016) (b.967 - d.1016)
Mother:Aelfgifu
Aethelstan (son of Aethelred)

Alcuin (of York)

Born: circa 735 Died: 804

Alcuin taught at the University of York and was an important adviser to Charlemagne. Alcuin was a writer an poet and compiled a series of books on the lives of the saints.

See Also

People

Timeline

804    (Age: 69yrs)

Alcuin of York died at the monastery of St. Martin's at Tours.

Alexander (IV, Pope)

Died: 1261

Pope from 1254 until his death in 1261. Alexander IV agreed to absolve Henry III from the Provisions of Oxford and allow the English king to regain the power that the Barons had taken from him.

See Also

    People

    Timeline

    1254
    1261

    Pope Alexander IV agreed to absolve King Henry III from the Provisions of Oxford.

    Urban IV was elected Pope after the death of Pope Alexander IV.

    Alfred (Second son of Aethelred)

    Died: 1036

    Alfred was the second son of Aethelred and Emma. Alfred was murdered in 1036(7) when he came to England to help his mother's campaign against Harold Harefoot and Earl Godwine.

    See Also

    People

    Timeline

    1036

    Both Edward the Confessor and Alfred, his younger brother, came to England at different times during this year to try and take back the English throne. Edward's attempt failed. Some time later Alfred landed in England but his army was met by Earl Godwine and was defeated. Alfred was captured and killed by the Earl.

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Aethelred (II The Unready, King of the English 978-1013, 1014-1016) (b.967 - d.1016)
    Mother:Emma (of Normandy, Wife of Aethelred) (b.982 - d.1052)
    Alfred (Second son of Aethelred) ( - m.1036)

    Alice (Daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine)

    Born: 1150

    Alice (Alix) was the second daughter of King Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

    Timeline

    1169

    A marriage agreement was arranged between Prince Richard and the daughter of King Louis VII, bringing peace between England and France.

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Louis (VII, The Young, King of France, 1137-1180) (b.1121 - d.1180)
    Mother:Eleanor (of Aquitaine) (b.1122 - d.1204)
    Alice (Daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine) (b.1150 - )

    Alys (Daughter of Louis VII)

    Alys was the daughter of King Louis VII of France and Constance of Castile his second wife. A marriage agreement was arranged between Alys and the son of Henry II, Richard who would become Richard I, the Lionheart. Alys was only a child and until she was old enough to be married lived under the protection of the English King. The marriage never took place and Richard married Berengaria. Alys' half-brother Philip II of France fined Richard for not marrying her.

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Louis (VII, The Young, King of France, 1137-1180) (b.1121 - d.1180)
    Mother:Constance (of Castile)
    Alys (Daughter of Louis VII)

    Amalric (I, King of Jerusalem, 1162 - 1174)

    Born: 1136 Died: 11 July 1174

    Son of Fulk V, count of Anjou and King of Jerusalem. Amalric became King of Jerusalem after the death of his elder brother Baldwin.

    See Also

    Other

    Timeline

    1162    (Age: 26yrs)

    Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem died. He was succeeded by his brother Amalric.

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Fulk (V, of Anjou) ( - d.1143)
    Mother:Melisende (of Jerusalem) (b.1105 - d.1161)
    Amalric (I, King of Jerusalem, 1162 - 1174) (b.1136 - d.1174)
         +Comnena, Maria (b.1154 - )

    Arundel, Thomas

    Born: 1353 Died: 1414

    Thomas Arundel was the Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury. In Richard II's reign Arundel served twice as Chancellor and was also the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1396. His appointment was short lived as a year later he was exiled as part of the conflict with the Lords Appellant. Arundel returned to England with Henry IV's rise to power and was once again made Chancellor from 1407. He was temporarily deposed in 1410 but regained the post in 1412.

    See Also

      People

      Places

      Timeline

      1397    (Age: 44yrs)

      Shortly after becoming Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Arundel was exiled by Richard II because of his support for the lords appellant who had opposed the King's misrule of the country.

      Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860)

      Died: 860

      King of Wessex from 858 until he died in 860. First (or second if Athelstan was a son) of Aethelwolf.

      See Also

        People

        Other

        Timeline

        858

        Unhappy with his father's marriage to Judith and absence from the country, Ethelbald, Ethelwulf's second son claimeds the kingdom of Wessex for himself. When Ethelwulf later died, Ethelbald married Judith, his stepmother.

        860

        Upon the death of his elder brother, Ethelbert became the King of Wessex.

         

        Family Tree Details

        Father:Aethelwulf (King of Wessex 839-858) ( - d.858)
        Mother:Osburga
        Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860) ( - d.860)

        Selection of references used:

        • 1. H.W.C.Davis, England under the Normans and Angevins, 1949
        • 2. Antony Bridge, Richard the Lionheart, ISBN:ISBN-0-246-13373-2
        • 3. Zoe Oldenbourg, The Crusades
        • 4. Ronald McNair Scott, Alfred the Great, ISBN:0-86332-832-6

          Explore the White Tower

          Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.

          3D/VR

          Virtual Buildings

          Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.

          A Medieval Mystery

          There appear to be some strange connections between the fourteenth century Old Wardour Castle and ancient stone circle Stonehenge.

          1: Location

          Old Wardour Castle appears to be aligned to ancient sites in the Stonehenge landscape.

          2: Alignment

          Stonehenge is aligned to the Summer Solstice. Old Wardour has a very similar alignment.

          3: Size

          Could the builders of Old Wardour used mesaurements from Stonehenge to layout the geometrical keep?

          Learn More