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Biography

Humphrey (Bohun) de Bohun is a member of the House of Bohun.

Humphrey de Bohun, Knt., 8th (4th^[1]) Earl of Hereford, 9th Earl of Essex^[2]

Humphrey de Bohun was the only son of Humphrey de Bohun and Maud de Fiennes, who married in 1275 (agreement dated June 1275).^[3] He was born about 1276. He was said to be 22 when his father died in 1298^[4][5] and he succeeded to the Bohun lands, titles and honours.^[1][6]

Marriage

He married Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, widow of Count Jan van Holland and daughter of Edward I,^[6] at Westminster on 14 November 1302. Being related in the 3rd and 4th degree of kindred, they received a dispensation on 10 August 1302.^[4][2]

Children

Humphrey and Elizabeth had the following children:

• Margaret^[4] (Sep 1303 - 7 Feb 1305/6^[7]), buried at Westminster Abbey^[4][7]
• Humphrey^[4] (10 Sep. 1304 - 28 Oct. 1304^[7]), buried at Westminster Abbey^[4][7]
• John (23 Nov 1306 - 20 Jan 1335/6), Knt., Earl of Hereford and Essex, married (1) Alice de Arundel; (2) Margaret Basset^[4][7]
• Humphrey, (6 Dec 1309 - 15 Oct 1361), Knt., Earl of Hereford and Essex^[4][7]
• Edward (c.1312 - 1335), Knt., married Margaret de Ros, drowned rescuing a peasant, twin of William^[4][7]
• William (c.1312 - 16 Sep 1360), K.G., Earl of Northampton, twin of Edward,^[7] married Elizabeth de Badlesmere^[8]
• Eleanor, married (1) James le Boteler (or Butler), K.B., 1st Earl of Ormond, (2) Thomas de Dagworth, Knt., Lord Dagworth^[4][7]
• Margaret, married Hugh de Courtenay, Knt., 10th Earl of Devon^[4][7]
• Eneas^[4], mentioned in his father's 1319 will^[4] and died 29 Sep. 1331^[7]
• Isabel^[4], probably died within a few days of her birth on 5 May 1316 (her mother died that day from birth complications)^[7]

Career

Humphrey de Bohun served in both Edward I's and Edward II's wars in Scotland. In the course of his military activity there, he took part in the Battle of Falkirk (1296), the siege of Caerlaverock (1300), and the siege of Stirling Castle (1304). In 1306 Edward I granted him Annandale and Lochmaben Castle, which had been possessions of Robert the Bruce and had been escheated to Edward I following Robert the Bruce's killing of John Comyn.^[1][6] He was granted further lands of Robert the Bruce in 1307.^[4]

He took part in tournaments at Fulham in 1305 and at Wallingford in 1307.^[4]

On 22 May 1306, at the knighting of the future Edward II, he was chosen to fasten one of the prince's spurs.^[1][6]

When Edward II was crowned king in 1308, Humphrey carried the sceptre with the cross.^[6][4] But he soon became associated with the baronial opponents of the king. In 1310, he was one of the Lords Ordainer commissioned to reform the household and government of Edward II. In 1310/11 he refused to fight in Scotland, because of his enmity to the royal favourite Gaveston: Edward II deprived him of the hereditary office of Constable of England, though it was fairly quickly restored. In 1312 he took part in the deliberations which led to Gaveston's execution, receiving a royal pardon the following year.^[1][6]

In 1314 he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Bannockburn: he was exchanged for Elizabeth de Burgh, wife of Robert the Bruce.^[1][6]

In 1316 he suppressed a Welsh revolt.^[1][6] The same year he was a member of a committee set up to attempt again to reform the royal household and government; but the following year he came to an agreement with the king.^[1]

In 1321 he joined with other barons in opposing the Despensers, who were driven into exile. After their return the same year, and Humphrey's refusal to come to terms, Edward II ordered the confiscation of his possessions in January 1321/2.^[1][6]

Death

Humphrey de Bohun made his will on 11 August 1319, requesting burial at Walden Abbey near his wife.^{[4][6][9][10]} He was killed at the Battle of Boroughbridge, fighting alongside Thomas Earl of Lancaster against the forces of Edward II, on 16 March 1321/2, and was actually buried at the Friars Preachers in York.^[1][6]

Successors

He was succeeded by his 2nd but eldest surviving son John. John died 20 January 1335/6 without issue; his heir was his younger brother Humphrey, who died unmarried in 1361.^[11] The next heir was then Humphrey, son of William (3rd surviving son of Humphrey).^[8] For more information, see their profiles.

Research Notes

Children Margaret and Humphrey Richardson has different dates for Humphrey’s first two children, who died young: Margaret (born 1302; died 7 February 1304 age one and a half years) and Humphrey (born 1303; died 15 July 1304).^[12] If the dates given in Magna Carta Ancestry were right, Margaret would have been born before her parents' marriage. For a full discussion, justifying the dates given above, see the Research Notes section on Margaret's and Humphrey's profiles (Bohun-197 and Bohun-38, respectively).

Daughter Isabel For the youngest child, Isabel, Richardson merely says she died young before 1319, without saying when she was born. The birth date given above is based on information in the Walden Cartulary cited in Brad Verity's article discussing the number of their children.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Bohun, Humphrey de, fourth earl of Hereford and ninth earl of Essex
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), volume I, pages 420-424 BOHUN 9.
3. ↑ Richardson, Royal Ancestry, I:418-420 BOHUN 8.
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17} Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: the author, 2011), volume I, pages 239-243 BOHUN 5
5. ↑ 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward I, File 92', in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 3, Edward I, ed. J.E.E.S. Sharp and A.E. Stamp (London, 1912), pp. 422-436. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/vol3/pp422-436 [accessed 2 September 2019]. Item 552.
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10} G E Cokayne. Complete Peerage, revised and enlarged, Vol. VI, St Catherine Press 1926, pp. 467-70: HEREFORD VIII
7. ↑ ^{7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12} Brad Verity. The Children of Elizabeth, Countess of Hereford, Daughter of Edward I of England, Foundations (Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy) 6, 2006, pp.3-10
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Richardson, Royal Ancestry, volume I, pages 424-426 BOHUN 10.
9. ↑ Michael Andrews-Reading (translator). The Will of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford & Essex, 1319, Foundations (Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy) 6, 2014, pp.11-12
10. ↑ Bigelow M M (1896) The Bohun Wills I. The American Historical Review. Vol. 1, pp. 414-435 [1]
11. ↑ Richardson, Royal Ancestry, I:422-423 BOHUN 9.iii and 9.iv.
12. ↑ Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, I:241, BOHUN 5.i and 5.ii

• Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author, 2011. See also WikiTree's source page for Magna Carta Ancestry.
• Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Salt Lake City: the author, 2013. See also WikiTree's source page for Royal Ancestry.
• Cokayne, G E. Complete Peerage, revised and enlarged, Vol. VI, St Catherine Press 1926
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Bohun, Humphrey de, fourth earl of Hereford and ninth earl of Essex, 2004, revised online 2008 (available online via some libraries)
• Cawley, Charles. Humphrey Bohun, entry in "Medieval Lands" database, A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families © by Charles Cawley, hosted by Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG). See also WikiTree's source page for MedLands.
• Lewis, Marlyn. Our Royal, Titled and Commoner Ancestors: "Sir Humphrey VIII de Bohun, 8th Earl Hereford & 9th Earl Essex, Constable of England."
• Families Directly Descended from All the Royal Families in Europe (495 to 1932) & Mayflower Descendants. Bound with Supplement
• Roberts, Gary Boyd. The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004
• Wikipedia: Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (calls him Humphrey VII)
• Monasticon Anglicanum. By Sir William Dugdale, Knight. Vol. 6 Part I. London, 1846, p135. [2]
• For additional information about early baronies, see the top-level category page Early English Feudal Baronies. Individual category pages (links below) should include information specific to the category.

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

• Mary Bourchier: badged 5 July 2019. See trail HERE.
• Coytemore Gateways (Elizabeth and Thomas): badged in 2019. See the trails HERE.
• John Fisher: badged in 2015 and re-reviewed in April 2020. See the trail HERE.
• Thomas Lloyd: badged in December 2021, see it HERE.
• Manwaring Gateways (Oliver and Mary): badged, re-reviewed in February 2024. See the trail HERE.
• Richard Palgrave: trails badged 19 March 2021. See them HERE.
• Amy Wyllys: badged 11 Apr 2021 is set out HERE.