Biography of Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex 1204-1275

Paternal Family Tree: Bohun

1236 Marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence

Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex was appointed Constable of England.

Before 1204 [his father] Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford [aged 27] and [his mother] Maud Mandeville Countess Hereford [aged 26] were married. She by marriage Countess Hereford. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Geoffrey Fitzpeter 1st Earl Essex [aged 41] and [his grandmother] Beatrice Saye. He the son of Humphrey Bohun and Margaret Dunkeld Duchess Brittany.

In 1204 Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex was born to [his father] Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford [aged 28] and [his mother] Maud Mandeville Countess Hereford [aged 27].

After 1208 [his son-in-law] Anselm Marshal 6th Earl Pembroke and Maud Bohun Countess Pembroke and Winchester were married. She by marriage Countess Pembroke. She the daughter of Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 4] and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex. He the son of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke [aged 62] and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke [aged 36]. They were half third cousin once removed.

On 1st June 1220 [his father] Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford [aged 44] died in the Middle East. His son Humphrey [aged 16] succeeded 2nd Earl Hereford.

Around 1221 [his son] Humphrey Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 17] and [his future wife] Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 11]. He married after 12th August 1241 his fourth cousin Eleanor de Braose and had issue.

Around 1236 Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 32] and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 26] were married. She by marriage Countess Hereford. He the son of Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford and Maud Mandeville Countess Hereford [aged 59].

Marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence

Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris. 20th January 1236. There were assembled at the king's [aged 28] nuptial festivities such a host of nobles of both sexes, such numbers of religious men, such crowds of the populace, and such a variety of actors, that London, with its capacious bosom, could scarcely contain them. The whole city was ornamented with flags and banners, chaplets and hangings, candles and lamps, and with wonderful devices and extraordinary representations, and all the roads were cleansed from mud and dirt, sticks, and everything offensive. The citizens, too, went out to meet the king and queen [aged 13], dressed out in their ornaments, and vied with each other in trying the speed of their horses. On the same day, when they left the city for Westminster, to perform the duties of butler to the king (which office belonged to them by right of old, at the coronation), they proceeded thither dressed in silk garments, with mantles worked in gold, and with costly changes of raiment, mounted on valuable horses, glittering with new bits and saddles, and riding in troops arranged in order. They carried with them three hundred and sixty gold and silver cups, preceded by the king's trumpeters and with horns sounding, so that such a wonderful novelty struck all who beheld it with astonishment. The archbishop of Canterbury [aged 61], by the right especially belonging to him, performed the duty of crowning, with the usual solemnities, the bishop of London assisting him as a dean, the other bishops taking their stations according to their rank. In the same way all the abbats, at the head of whom, as was his right, was the abbat of St. Alban's (for as the Protomartyr of England, St. Alban, was the chief of all the martyrs of England, so also was his abbat the chief of all the abbats in rank and dignity), as the authentic privileges of that church set forth. The nobles, too, performed the duties, which, by ancient right and custom, pertained to them at the coronations of kings. In like manner some of the inhabitants of certain cities discharged certain duties which belonged to them by right of their ancestors. The earl of Chester [aged 29] carried the sword of St. Edward, which was called "Curtein", before the king, as a sign that he was earl of the palace, and had by right the power of restraining the king if he should commit an error. The earl was attended by the constable of Chester [aged 44], and kept the people away with a wand when they pressed forward in a disorderly way. The grand marshal of England, the earl of Pembroke [aged 39], carried a wand before the king and cleared the way before him both, in the church and in the banquet-hall, and arranged the banquet and the guests at table. The Wardens of the Cinque Ports carried the pall over the king, supported by four spears, but the claim to this duty was not altogether undisputed. The earl of Leicester [aged 28] supplied the king with water in basins to wash before his meal; the Earl Warrenne performed the duty of king's Cupbearer, supplying the place of the earl of Arundel, because the latter was a youth and not as yet made a belted knight. Master Michael Belet was butler ex officio; the earl of Hereford [aged 32] performed the duties of marshal of the king's household, and William Beauchamp [aged 51] held the station of almoner. The justiciary of the forests arranged the drinking cups on the table at the king's right hand, although he met with some opposition, which however fell to the ground. The citizens of London passed the wine about in all directions, in costly cups, and those of Winchester superintended the cooking of the feast; the rest, according to the ancient statutes, filled their separate stations, or made their claims to do so. And in order that the nuptial festivities might not be clouded by any disputes, saving the right of any one, many things were put up with for the time which they left for decision at a more favourable opportunity. The office of chancellor of England, and all the offices connected with the king, are ordained and assized in the Exchequer. Therefore the chancellor, the chamberlain, the marshal, and the constable, by right of their office, took their seats there, as also did the barons, according to the date of their creation, in the city of London, whereby they each knew his own place. The ceremony was splendid, with the gay dresses of the clergy and knights who were present. The abbat of Westminster sprinkled the holy water, and the treasurer, acting the part of sub-dean, carried the Paten. Why should I describe all those persons who reverently ministered in the church to God as was their duty? Why describe the abundance of meats and dishes on the table & the quantity of venison, the variety of fish, the joyous sounds of the glee-men, and the gaiety of the waiters? Whatever the world could afford to create pleasure and magnificence was there brought together from every quarter.

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On 27th August 1236 [his mother] Maud Mandeville Countess Hereford [aged 59] died in Quendon, Essex.

In 1239 Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 35] was created 1st Earl Essex. [his wife] Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 29] by marriage Countess Essex.

Christening of Edward I

On 22nd June 1239 King Edward I of England was christened at Westminster Abbey [Map]. Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 35] was godfather. He was named after King Edward "The Confessor" of England.

Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'

This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Around 1241 [his daughter] Eleanor Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 37] and [his wife] Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 31]. She married John "The Botiller" Verdun and had issue.

After 14th April 1241 Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 37] and Maud Avenbury Countess Essex and Hereford were married. She by marriage Countess Essex, Countess Hereford. He the son of Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford and Maud Mandeville Countess Hereford.

After 12th August 1241 Humphrey Bohun [aged 20] and Eleanor de Braose [aged 13] were married at Brecon [Map]. She the daughter of William de Braose 9th Baron Abergavenny 7th Baron Bramber and Eva Marshal [aged 38]. He the son of Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 37] and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 31]. They were fourth cousins.

On 14th August 1241 [his wife] Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex [aged 31] died.

In or after 1250 [his son-in-law] Roger de Quincy 2nd Earl Winchester [aged 55] and Maud Bohun Countess Pembroke and Winchester were married. She by marriage Countess Winchester. She the daughter of Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 46] and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex. He the son of Saer Quincy 1st Earl Winchester and Margaret Beaumont Countess Winchester. They were half third cousin once removed.

In or before 1252 [his daughter] Maud Bohun Countess Pembroke and Winchester died.

Battle of Lewes

On 14th May 1264 the army of Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester [aged 56] including Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford [aged 20], Henry Hastings [aged 29] and Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave [aged 26] defeated the army of King Henry III of England [aged 56] during the Battle of Lewes at Lewes [Map].

King Henry III of England, his son, the future, King Edward I of England [aged 24], Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 60], Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 55], John "Red" Comyn 1st Lord Baddenoch [aged 44], Philip Marmion 5th Baron Marmion [aged 30] and John Giffard 1st Baron Giffard Brimpsfield [aged 32] were captured. John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey [aged 33], John Balliol [aged 56], Robert Bruce 5th Lord Annandale [aged 49], Roger Leybourne [aged 49] and William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke fought for the King. Guy Lusignan was killed. Fulk IV Fitzwarin [aged 44] drowned. Bishop Walter de Cantelupe [aged 73] was present and blessed the Montfort army before the battle.

On 27th October 1265 [his son] Humphrey Bohun [aged 44] died at Beeston Castle, Cheshire [Map].

Dictum of Kenilworth

On 31st October 1266 the Dictum of Kenilworth was issued. The Dictum was a peace agreement between King Henry III of England [aged 59] and the rebels who were besieged in the impregnable Kenilworth Castle [Map]. The committee included: Bishop Walter Branscombe [aged 46], Archbishop Walter Giffard [aged 41], Bishop Nicholas Ely, Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford, Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 62], Philip Basset [aged 82], John Balliol [aged 58], Robert Walerand, Alan Zouche [aged 63], Roger Somery 2nd Baron Dudley [aged 76], and Warin Bassingbourne.

[his grandson-in-law] Robert Ferrers 6th Earl of Derby [aged 27] and Henry Hastings [aged 31] were fined seven times their annual income. The Dictum, however, required the rebels to pay their fines before being restored to their lands; something of a Catch-22 since if they weren't restored to their lands, they would have no income to pay the fine.

On 24th September 1275 Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex [aged 71] died at Kenilworth Castle [Map]. He was buried at Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucestershire [Map]. His grandson Humphrey [aged 26] succeeded 3rd Earl Hereford, 2nd Earl Essex.

On 16th January 1373 Humphrey Bohun 7th Earl Hereford 6th Earl Essex 2nd Earl of Northampton [aged 31] died. He was buried at Waldon Priory and Abbey [Map]. Earl Hereford, Earl Essex, Earl of Northampton extinct. His estates were divided between his two daughters Eleanor Bohun Duchess Gloucester [aged 7], wife of Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester [aged 18] and Mary Bohun [aged 5], wife of Henry of Bolingbroke [aged 5], the future Henry IV, although the title and estates should have been inherited Gilbert Bohun who was a grandson of Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex.

[his son] Ralph Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

[his son] Henry Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex.

[his son] John of Gilbert Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Maud Avenbury Countess Essex and Hereford.

[his daughter] Mary Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex.

[his son] Geoffrey Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex.

[his daughter] Alice Bohun was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex. She married her fourth cousin Roger Tosny and had issue.

[his daughter] Maud Bohun Countess Pembroke and Winchester was born to Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex and Matilda Lusignan Countess Hereford and Essex. She married (1) after 1208 her half third cousin once removed Anselm Marshal 6th Earl Pembroke, son of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke (2) in or after 1250 her half third cousin once removed Roger de Quincy 2nd Earl Winchester, son of Saer Quincy 1st Earl Winchester and Margaret Beaumont Countess Winchester.