On November 11, 1113, Alberanda de Fauconberg, who had been keeping this journal, passed away. My father, Earl Humphrey, has asked me, his eldest daughter Emma (sometimes called Emma the Elder to distinguish me from my younger sister) to take it over.
March 1114: Father has spurned the advances of a pretty maid in the castle, and has replaced her with an older women. He has gained the reputation of being Chaste.
On April 20, my younger sister Adelaide had a daughter, Beatrice.
On May 16, Pope Richard left this mortal coil. Amedeo, Bishop of Julich, has been elected to replace him. It is said that King Robert of England has his ear.
My brother Mauger had another daughter on July 14. He and Alis named her Beatrice.
In November the small castle was completed, and Father declared war on the Sheikdom of Canarias. Grandfather, Duke Ralph of Norfolk, also declared war on them. The regiment has been raised and is being shipped to fight the enemy.
December 1114: My sister Adelaide loves to ride horses hard through the woods. With Father away at war, our stepmother has encouraged her to indulge in mental activities. Adelaide has become Wise, Just and Stressed.
My brother Matthew had another daughter, Juliana, on June 9, 1115. On the 12th, my brother Mauger's middle daughter, Judith, took ill.
On August 1, my sister Adelaide had a son, Drogo, and on the 15, my stepmother had a son, Guy.
Word reached us on that on September 15, 1115, my father with the help of Duke Ralph's Shrewsbury regiment freed the Camarias of the infidel yoke. Unfortunately, while they were away, the army of the Sheik of Canarias captured Shrewsbury and has just laid siege to our new castle in Derby. I pray that Father will return in time.
The Siege of Canarias
Duke Ralph, my grandfather, passed away on September 29. Our new duke is my young cousin, Tancred de Bretagne.
On January 20, 1116, Father defeated the infidel army besieging Derby Castle. They fled to Shrewsbury, where they were destroyed by the army of Marie de Normandie, Countess of Bristol, who is beseiging Shrewsbury Castle. Father has disbanded the army; the expense of this crusade will put us in debt for years.
Father's new fief of Canarias is Struggling. They have a Forestry and Fishing Wharf, and many more improvements could be made there if we only had the money to invest.
On September 2, 1116, Father gave the County of Canarias to my brother Matthew.