Humphrey de Bohun VIII, Earl of Hereford and Essex

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: He was the 8th Earl of Hereford and the 9th Earl of Essex. Other sources list him as the 4th Earl of Hereford.
• Title(s): 1298; He succeeded his father in 1298 as Earl of Hereford and Earl of Essex, and Constable of England.
• Military: 1300, Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland; Humphrey was one of several earls and barons under Edward I who laid siege to Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland in 1300 and later took part in many campaigns in Scotland.
• Offices Held: say 1300; He was the Lord High Constable of England.
• Land/House: 1302; In 1302 he conveyed lands.
• Military: Jun 1313; In June 1313 he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Bannockburn. He was released in exchange for the wife of Robert the Bruce who had long been a captive in England.
• Military: From 23 June 1314 to 24 Jun 1314; At the Battle of Bannockburn (23–24 June 1314), Humphrey de Bohun should have been given command of the army because that was his responsibility as Constable of England. However, since the execution of Piers Gaveston in 1312 Humphrey had been out of favour with Edward II, who gave the Constableship for the 1314 campaign to the youthful and inexperienced Earl of Gloucester, Gilbert de Clare. Nevertheless, on the first day, de Bohun insisted on being one of the first to lead the cavalry charge. In the melee and cavalry rout between the Bannock Burn and the Scots' camp he was not injured although his rash young cousin Henry de Bohun, who could have been no older than about 22, charged alone at Robert Bruce and was killed by Bruce's axe. On the second day, Gloucester was killed at the start of the battle. Hereford fought throughout the day, leading a large company of Welsh and English knights and archers. The archers who might have had success at breaking up the Scots schiltrons were attacked and overrun by the Scots cavalry. When the battle was lost Bohun retreated with the Earl of Angus and several other barons, knights and men to Bothwell Castle, seeking a safe haven. However, all the refugees who entered the castle were taken prisoner by its formerly pro-English governor Walter fitz Gilbert who, like many Lowland knights, declared for Bruce as soon as word came of the Scottish King's victory. Humphrey de Bohun was ransomed by Edward II, his brother-in-law, on the pleading of his wife Isabella. This was one of the most interesting ransoms in English history. The Earl was traded for Bruce's queen, Elizabeth de Burgh and daughter, Marjorie Bruce, two bishops amongst other important Scots captives in England. Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan, who had crowned Robert Bruce in 1306 and for years had been locked in a cage outside Berwick, was not included; presumably, she had died in captivity.
• Will: 1319; In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: I, Humfrai de Bohun,6 Earl of Hereford and of Essex, of good memory and health, make this my will in the following manner: firstly, I devise my soul to our Lord Jesus Christ who suffered death upon the cross for me and for all sinners, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary his mother, and to all the saints of heaven, and my body to be buried in the church of our blessed lady at Walden, near to the body of Elizabeth late my spouse. Item, I devise that all my debts should be paid and acquitted in full, and I will that the outstanding provisions of my wife’s will shall be performed in their entirety. Item, I devise for the carriage of my body from the place where I die to the Abbey of Walden and for related undertakings and for my burial and for obsequies made at my interment and for all other things thereunto relating, one thousand marks, charging my executors that the bodies of my father, my mother and my wife should be likewise honestly hung with cloths as my body, and that between all our bodies there should be only one hearse and course of lighting. Furthermore, I devise to my lord the King a pot and a cup of gold, which my wife bequeathed to me. Item, to Sir Bartholomew de Badlesmere, the black charger that I brought from beyond the seas. And as my lord the King has of his mercy granted me by his letters patent the moiety of the issues of all my lands from the day that God shall have mercy upon me until the full age of my heir and all the sums that may be levied for the marriage of my said heir and all the sums that my said lord the King owes to me by account made in his wardrobe of my arrears with him and also of all the sums that the Count of Hainault, Holland and Zeeland owes to me, I devise to Humfrai, Edward, William and Eneas my sons, to each of them, £2,000 to buy lands or marriages or to use in other ways as my executors shall think best for their profit, and if the sums aforesaid be more, we desire that they be shared between our four aforesaid sons. Furthermore, I devise to Alianore my daughter towards her wedding clothes, £200. Item, I devise to Sir Hugh de Courtenay one thousand marks which I give him for the marriage of Margaret my daughter and his son and heir. Item, I devise to the same Margaret towards her wedding clothes 200 marks. Furthermore, I devise to my eldest son all my armour, and an entire bed of green powdered with white swans, with all its appurtenances. Item, I devise to Master John Walewayn a cup stamped and embossed with fleurs de lis which belonged to Saint Edmond de Pounteny, and a small cup that Giles de Herteberghe gave to me at Bruges, and a gold ring with a ruby which my wife devised to me, which is all covered with bruises and is in a small casket in a great box at the end of the lower wardrobe. Furthermore, I devise to Sir Robert de Haustede the father and to Dame Margerie his wife for the guardianship of Eneas my son, £100, and to Sir Robert de Walkefare, £60, and to Sir Walter de Shorne to whom we have made no regard, £100. Furthermore, I devise to Philippa Wake, governess of Alianore my daughter, £20, and to Maud de Baskerville my sister, towards her marriage, £40. Item, I devise to Katherine de Boklaunde, governess of Margaret my daughter, £10, and to Isabel the wife of Peter de Geudeford, 100 shillings. Furthermore, I devise to the Chapter-General of the Friars Preacher for masses and other prayers sung and said for my soul, £20, and to the Chapter-General of the Friars Minor for the same purposes, £20. Item, to the Chapter of the Augustinian Friars for the same, 20 marks, and to the Chapter General of the Carmelite Friars for the same, 20 marks. Furthermore, I give to the Abbot and Convent of Walden for sung masses and other benefits made for my soul, £10, and to the Prior and Convent of Lanthony near Gloucester for the same undertaken, £10. Item, to the Prior and Convent of Farley for the same, £10, and to the Prior and Convent of Brecon for the same undertaking, £10, and to the Prior and Convent of Hurley for the same undertaking, £10, and to the Prior and Convent of Stoneley, 100 shillings, and to the Prior and Convent of Wirecestre for the same undertaking, £10. Furthermore, I devise to Huard de Soyrou, governor of Humfrai my son, £20, and to Robert Swan who is with John our son and his brothers, £20. Item, I devise to Robert de Clifton, £10, and to Robert de la Lee, £10. Item, to Master William, my cook, £10, and to William my falconer, £10, and to Robert Brutyn, £10. Item, to Berthelet the falconer, 100 shillings, and to John de Gynes, 100 shillings. Furthermore, I devise to Richard Wrothe, my constable at Brecon, £20, and to Thomas Gobyoun, my constable at Plashy, £20, and to Henri Herbert, £10. Item, I devise to Walter le Seler, 100 shillings, and to Roger the cook, 100 shillings, and to Richard le Deen, 100 shillings. Item, I devise to John le Deen, 50 shillings and to Adam de Rothingge, 100 shillings. Item, to John the chandler, 50 shillings and to William ‘le ferour’ [smith?], £10. Item, I devise to Adam ‘le ferour’, 100 shillings, and to William de Weston, 100 shillings. Item, to Miles, 100 shillings, and to Thomas le Pestour, 100 shillings. Furthermore, I devise to Thomas de la Despense, my chamberlain, 10 marks, and to Poun, my barber, 10 marks. Item, to William ‘de la Gardrobe’, 100 shillings, and to Robert my palfrey-man, 100 shillings. Item, I devise to Gilbert le Poleter, 100 shillings, and to each of my boys who shall have been in my service for more than a year when God shall have mercy upon me, 20 shillings. Furthermore, I devise that all of my best horses shall be assigned for my burial. And in order that all the foregoing be undertaken, I have ordained Master John Walewayn, Sir Bartholomew de Enfield, the Abbot of Walden, and Sir John de Walden my executors. Subscribed at Gosforth near to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the 11th day of August in the year of grace 1319.
• Last Full Review: 21 Aug 2020

Notes:

Name:

Military:

Died:
He was killed in battle being run through the body by a soldier, in rebellion against his brother-in-law Edward II at the Battle of Boroughbridge. Acording to Ian Mortimer: "The 4th Earl of] Hereford led the fight on the bridge, but he and his men were caught in the arrow fire. Then one of de Harclay's pikemen, concealed beneath the bridge, thrust upwards between the planks and skewered the Earl of Hereford through the anus, twisting the head of the iron pike into his intestines. His dying screams turned the advance into a panic."

Humphrey married Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, Countess of Hereford on 14 Nov 1302 in Westminster Abbey, London, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Edward I "Longshanks", King of England and Eleanor of Castile, Queen of England) was born on 7 Aug 1282 in Rhuddlan Castle, Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, Wales; died on 5 May 1316 in Quendon, Essex, England; was buried on 23 May 1316 in Walden Abbey, Saffron Walden, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Margaret de Bohun was born in 1302 in Tynemouth, Northumberland, England; died on 7 Feb 1304; was buried after 7 Feb 1304 in Westminster Abbey, London, England.
2. Humphrey de Bohun was born on 10 Sep 1304 in Knaresborough Castle, Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England; was buried on 8 Nov 1304 in Westminster Abbey, London, England.
3. Eleanor de Bohun, Countess of Ormond was born on 17 Oct 1304; died on 7 Oct 1363 in Vachery Manor, Cranleigh, Surrey, England.
4. John de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex was born on 23 Nov 1305 in Pleshey Castle, Pleshey, Essex, England; died on 20 Jan 1335 in Kirkby Thore, Westmorelandshire, Wales; was buried in Abbey of St Mary's, Stratford Langthorne, Essex, England.
5. Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, Lord High Constable was born between 1309 and 1311 in Lochmaben Castle, Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire, Scotland; died on 16 Oct 1361 in Pleshey Castle, Pleshey, Essex, England; was buried in Austin Friars, London, England.
6. Margaret de Bohun, Countess of Devon was born on 3 Apr 1311 in Caldecote, Northamptonshire, England; died on 27 Dec 1391; was buried after 27 Dec 1391 in Exeter Cathedral, Exeter, Devonshire, England.
7. Sir William de Bohun, KG, Earl of Northampton was born about 1309 in Caldicot Castle, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales; died on 16 Sep 1360; was buried in Walden Abbey, Saffron Walden, Essex, England.
8. Sir Edward de Bohun of Annandale was born about 1309 in Caldicot Castle, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales; died before 8 Nov 1334 in Annandale, Dumfrieshire, Scotland; was buried in Walden Abbey, Saffron Walden, Essex, England.
9. Eneas de Bohun was born about 1313; died on 29 Sep 1331 in Kimbolton Castle, Kimbolton, Cambrdgeshire, England; was buried in Walden Abbey, Saffron Walden, Essex, England.
10. Isabella de Bohun was born on 5 May 1316 in Quendon, Essex, England; died in 6 May 1316 to 30 May 1316 in Quendon, Essex, England; was buried after 30 May 1316 in Waltham Abbey, Essex, England.

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to death

Notes:

History:
He was the Constable of England.

Humphrey married Maud de Fiennes in 1275. Maud (daughter of Enguerrand de Fiennes, Seigneur de Fiennes and Maud de Hampton) died on 6 Nov 1298 in England; was buried in Walden Abbey, Saffron Walden, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Humphrey married Eleanor de Braiose in 1239 in Brecknock, Breconshire, Wales. Eleanor (daughter of William de Braose, Lord de Braiose and Eva Marshall) was buried in Llanthony Priory, Llanthony, Monmouthshire, Wales. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Marriage: Weis (1982) has his wife being perhaps the daughter of Jacques, Lord of Condé.

Name:
His name was also spelt Ingelram de Fienes.

Enguerrand married Maud de HamptonEngland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Title(s): say 1260

Notes:

Title(s):
He was the 2ed Earl of Hereford. He was also the Earl of Essex, the Constable of England, and the Sheriff of Kent.

Humphrey married Maud de Lusignan or d'Eu in 1236 in France. Maud (daughter of Raoul I de Lusignan, Count d'Eu and Alice d' Eu, Countesss of Eu) was born about 1208 in La Marche, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France; died on 12 Aug 1241. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
He was the 6th Baron de Braiose, and was a descendant of Griffith, King of Wales.

William married Eva Marshall. Eva (daughter of Sir William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, Countess Strigoil) died in by 1246. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: say 1235;

Notes:

Military:
He was a crusader.

William married Agnes de Dammartin about 1198 in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]