Something else for those who have successfully traced their family back to medieval times. There is a fabulous website called the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. It covers all European countries in the medieval period and is extremely well sourced. The home page can be found at http://fmg.ac and I have spent my time using the "Medieval Lands" project. Other projects include: * Index to the Ancestry of Charles II, King of England * Index to Stammtafeln Westdeutscher Adelsgeschlechter im Mittelalter (Pedigree tables of west German noble families in the Middle Ages) * Domesday Corrections * Landed Gentry of Southern Germany If you have anyone from the 16th century backwards, do take a look. It has so much basic information - it doesn't have biographies as such, but provides proof from contemporary documents of a person's existence. For instance, these are the entries from Medieval Lands on Joan de Genville who married Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster: "JOAN de Genevile (2 Feb 1286-19 Oct 1356). The Chronicle of Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire names "Joannam, Matildam et Beatricem" as the children of "Petro de Genyvile" and his wife, adding that Jeanne married "Rogero de Mortuomari primo comiti Marchiæ"[2395]. A manuscript narrating the foundation of Wigmore Abbey records that “Rogerum primum comitem” married “dominæ Johannæ filiæ domini Petri de Genyville, filii domini Galfridi de Genyville, domini de Trym”[2396]. A manuscript which narrates the descents of the founders of Lanthony Abbey names “Johannæ, Matildi et Beatrici” as the children of “Petro Genevyle”, adding that “Johanna” married “domino Rogero de Mortuomari”[2397]. m (before 6 Oct 1306) ROGER [V] de Mortimer Lord Mortimer, son of EDMUND [I] de Mortimer Lord Mortimer & his wife Margaret de Fiennes (25 Apr or 3 May 1287-executed Tyburn, London 29 Nov 1330, bur Shrewsbury, Church of the Grey Friars). He was created Earl of March in 1328. " [ http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CHAMPAGNE%20NOBILITY.htm#JoanGenevilledied1356]. "JOHN "of Gaunt", son of EDWARD III King of England & his wife Philippa de Hainaut (St Bavon’s Abbey, Ghent [Feb/Mar] 1340-[Leicester Castle or Ely Place, Holborn, London] 3/4 Feb 1399, bur Old St Paul’s Cathedral, London). The Chronicon Angliæ records the birth “apud Gandavum” of “regi Edwardo filius...Johannes”, dated to 1340 from the context[1021]. Created Earl of Richmond 20 Sep 1342, surrendered 5 Jun 1372. Seigneur de Beaufort et de Nogent 1361, by right of his first wife. Summoned to Parliament as Earl of Lancaster and Richmond 14 Aug 1361. Created Duke of Lancaster 13 Nov 1362. "Jehans fils au...roy d´Engleterre duc de Lanquastre, conte de Richemont, de Derby, de Nicol et de Leicestre, seigneur de Beauffort, sénéchal d´Engleterre" granted protection to Chapelle-aux-Planches by charter dated 28 Oct 1364[1022]. Created Seigneur de Bergerac et de Roche-sur-Yonne 8 Oct 1370. After his second marriage, he claimed the throne of Castile in right of his wife, assuming the title King of Castile and Leon before 6 Oct 1372. He allied himself with Fernando I King of Portugal in July 1380 to pursue this claim, betrothing one of his nephews to Fernando's daughter, and agreed to invade Castile jointly. He invaded Castile in July 1386 to enforce his claim, quickly overrunning Galicia. He pushed further into Castile in March 1387, but was eventually obliged to withdraw and sign the Treaty of Bayonne in July 1388 (under which the marriage of Juan's older son to John of Gaunt's daughter was agreed). Created Duke of Aquitaine 2 Mar 1390 by the English Parliament. The will of "John son of the King of England, Duke of Lancaster", dated 3 Feb 1397, chose burial “in the cathedral church of St Paul, of London...beside my...late wife Blanch”, bequeathed property to “Dame Katherine del Staple...my...wife Katherine...my...brother the Duke of York...my...son Henry Duke of Hereford, Earl of Derby...my...daughter Philippa Queen of Portugal...my...daughter Katherine Queen of Castile and Leon...my...daughter Elizabeth Duchess of Exeter...my...son John Beaufort Marquis of Dorset...my...son the Bishop of Lincoln...my...son Thomas Beaufort...my...daughter their sister Countess of Westmoreland and Lady of Nevil...my...son John brother to...Henry...Mons. Thomas Swyneford...Mons Walter Blount...”[1023]. The Chronicle of Adam de Usk records the death “in crastino Sancti Blasii” of “dux Lancastrie” and his burial “in ecclesia Sancti Pauli Londonie”, dated to [1398/99] from the context[1024]. m firstly (Reading Abbey 19 May 1359) BLANCHE of Lancaster, daughter of HENRY Duke of Lancaster & his wife Isabel de Beaumont (25 Mar 1345-Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire of the Black death 12 Sep 1369, bur Old St Paul’s Cathedral, London). The Chronicon Angliæ records the marriage “XIV Kal Jun...apud Radinggum” of “dominus Johannes de Gaunt filius regis E[dwardi] comes Rychemund” and “Blanchiam filiam Henrici ducis Lancastriæ”, dated to 1359 from the context[1025]. A late 15th century/early 16th century manuscript records that “Johannes Gaunt Dux Lancastrie et quartus filius Edward III” married firstly “Blanchiam filiam Henrici ducis Lancastrie”[1026]. Co-heir of her father, she inherited the earldom of Lancaster, Pontefract castle as well as land in Lancashire and Cheshire. She succeeded her sister to the other half of her father's property, including the earldom of Leicester, in 1362. She is the subject of Chaucer's Boke of the Duchesse. The Chronicon Angliæ records the death of “Blanchia ducissa Lancastriæ” and her burial “in ecclesia Sancti Pauli Londoniarum”, dated to 1369 from the context[1027]. She died of bubonic plague. m secondly (Roquefort, Guyenne 21 Sep 1371) Infanta doña CONSTANZA de Castilla, [illegitimate] daughter of PEDRO I “el Cruel” King of Castile & his mistress [first wife] doña María de Padilla (Castrojerez [Jun/Jul] 1354-Leicester Castile 24 Mar 1394, bur Newark Abbey, Leicester). Ayala´s Crónica de Pedro I records that the king heard news in Jul 1354 of the birth of “una fija de Doña Maria de Padilla...Doña Constanza” in “la villa de Castro Xeriz”, adding that she later married “el Duque de Alencastre” and that their daughter “la Reyna Doña Catalina...es agora muger del Rey Don Enrique”[1028]. She succeeded her father 13 Mar 1369 as de iure Queen of Castile and Leon. A late 15th century/early 16th century manuscript records that “Johannes Gaunt Dux Lancastrie et quartus filius Edward III” married secondly “Constanciam filiam regis Hispaniarum”[1029]. m thirdly (Lincoln Cathedral [14/31] Jan 1396) KATHARINE Swynford, widow of HUGH Swynford of Coleby and Kettlethorpe, Lincolnshire, daughter of PAYN de Roët[1030] & his wife --- ([1350]-Lincoln 10 May 1403, bur Lincoln Cathedral). She had been governess to John of Gaunt's daughters by his first wife, and became his mistress [1371/72]. A late 15th century/early 16th century manuscript records that “post mortem Constancie secunde uxoris”, “Johannes Gaunt” married “dominam Katerinam de Swynfurth” by whom “in diebus domine Blanchie prime uxoris sue” he had “Johannem Bowfurth comitem Somersissie, Johannam Bowfurth comitissam Westmorelandie, Henricum Bowfurth presbiterum cardinalem et episcopum Wyntonyensem...Thomam Bowforth ducem Exoniensem vel Exeter” who were legitimated by the Pope and called “Bowfurthes aut Faerborne”[1031]. The register of John of Gaunt records the grant of “the wardship of the lands and heir to Sire Robert Deyncourt” to “Katharine Swynford for her and for her daughter Blanche” [presumably born from Katharine´s first marriage], dated Jan 1374[1032]. King Edward III confirmed the donation made by “filii nostri Johannis regis Castellæ et Legionis ducis Lancastriæ” of “in maneriis de Gryngeley et Wheteley” to “Katerina de Swynford” by charter dated 4 Mar 1377[1033]. Her children by John of Gaunt were legitimated 1 Sep 1396 by Pope Boniface IX and 9 Feb 1397 by charter of King Richard II, but excluded from the succession by the latter charter. The will of "John son of the King of England, Duke of Lancaster", dated 3 Feb 1397, chose burial “in the cathedral church of St Paul, of London...beside my...late wife Blanch”, bequeathed property to “Dame Katherine del Staple...my...wife Katherine...my...brother the Duke of York...my...son Henry Duke of Hereford, Earl of Derby...my...daughter Philippa Queen of Portugal...my...daughter Katherine Queen of Castile and Leon...my...daughter Elizabeth Duchess of Exeter...my...son John Beaufort Marquis of Dorset...my...son the Bishop of Lincoln...my...son Thomas Beaufort...my...daughter their sister Countess of Westmoreland and Lady of Nevil...my...son John brother to...Henry...Mons. Thomas Swyneford...Mons Walter Blount...”[1034]. Mistress (1): (before 1359?) MARIE de Saint-Hilaire, daughter of --- (-after 7 Apr 1399). Froissart records “mareschal messire Thomas Moreaulx” married to “le duc Jehan de Lancastre...une de ses filles” who was “bastarde” born to “demoiselle Marie de Saint.Hyllaire, de Hainaut”[1035]. King Edward III granted a pension to Marie de Saint-Hilaire in 1360[1036]. The Patent Rolls record that this pension was exchanged 19 Feb 1390 for “an annuity...charged on the issues of the counties of Cambridge and Huntingdon”[1037]. The Patent Rolls record 7 Apr 1399 that Marie de Saint-Hilaire was in receipt of a pension from the duke of Lancaster “for the good and agreeable service she has rendered for a long time to our honoured lady and mother Philippe late Queen of England”[1038]." The figures in square brackets are links (on the website) to details of the source document. Such a great resource. Do have a look. Ruth in Hampshire