Bo28 Humphrey de Bohun

Born:  Married: 1119 Maud de Evereux (De29), daughter of Edward (De30), Sheriff of Salisbury, and Maud Fitzhubert, and granddaughter of Walter le Ewrus (b. 1033). The name has been confused with d'Evreux but connection has not been established, so she is probably not the granddaughter of William Devereux (b. 1019). Evreux is a village in Normandy near the Bohun seat Saint-Côme-du-Mont. There had already  been a connection between these families for a long time at this point. Died: 1129	The de Bohun Coat of Arms: Azure, a bend argent between two cotises and six lions rampant or.
and had issue:  Bo27 Humphrey de Bohun   The present dwellers of the townships of St. Andre and St. Georges de Bohon for a longtime neglected their ancestors of the ducal era. However,  a young girl in Bohon was told by her mother of a beautiful country girl there who long before had married the King of England.  Without exaggeration it can be said that the Bohons and their descendents played a major  role in beginning the Anglo-Norman fusion and guiding it at the height of the power struggle and after France reclaimed Normandy as well as in the birth of modern England under Parliamentary law.	Humphrey de Bohun benefitted in the favor of Kings William Rufus and Henry I of England.  HUMPHREY II, THE GREAT (Bo29)(died 1129), benefitted in the favor of Kings William Rufus and Henry I of England. His marriage to the daughter of Edward of Salisbury gave him much honor and wealth.
Henry I of England (c.1068 – 1 December 1135), called Henry Beauclerc because of his scholarly interests, was the fourth son of William the Conqueror. He reigned as King of England from 1100 to 1135, succeeding his brother, William II Rufus. Henry also was known by the nickname "Lion of Justice", due to the refinements which he brought about in the rudimentary administrative and legislative machinery of the time. He seized power after the death of William II, which occurred (conveniently) during the absence of his older brother Robert Curthose on the Crusades. His reign is noted for his opportunistic political skills, the aforementioned improvements in the machinery of government, the integration of the divided Anglo-Saxon and Normans within his kingdom, his reuniting of the dominions of his father, and his controversial (although well-founded) decision to name his daughter as his heir. Henry was born between May 1068 and May 1069, probably in Selby, Yorkshire in England. His mother, Queen Matilda of Flanders, was descended from the Saxon King Alfred the Great (but not through the main West Saxon royal line). Matilda named Henry after her uncle, King Henry I of France. As the youngest son of the family, he was most likely expected to become a bishop and was given extensive schooling for a young nobleman of that time period. William of Malmesbury asserts that Henry once remarked that an illiterate king was a crowned ass. He was probably the first Norman ruler to be fluent in the English language. His father William, upon his death in 1087, bequeathed his dominions to his three remaining sons (third son Richard having died previously) in the following manner: Robert received the Duchy of Normandy  William received the Kingdom of England  Henry received 5,000 pounds of silver  Orderic Vitalis reports that King William declared to Henry: "You in your own time will have all the dominions I have acquired and be greater than both your brothers in wealth and power." Henry played his brothers off against each other. Eventually, wary of his devious manouevering, they acted together and signed an accession treaty which effectively barred Henry from both thrones, stipulating that if either died without an heir, the two dominions of their father would be reunited under the surviving brother. Seizing the throne of England. When William II was killed by an arrow whilst hunting on 2 August 1100, Robert was returning from the First Crusade. His absence, along with his poor reputation among the Norman nobles, allowed Henry to seize the keys of the royal hoard at Winchester. He was accepted as king by the leading barons and was crowned three days later on 5 August at Westminster. He secured his position among the nobles by an act of political appeasement, issuing the Charter of Liberties, which is considered a forerunner of the Magna Carta. First marriage On 11 November 1100 Henry married Edith, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland. Since Edith was also the niece of Edgar Atheling and the great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside, the marriage united the Norman line with the old English line of kings. The marriage greatly displeased the Norman barons, however, and as a concession to their sensibilities Edith changed her name to Matilda upon becoming queen. The other side of this coin, however, was that Henry, by dint of his marriage, became far more acceptable to the Anglo-Saxon populace. William of Malmesbury describes Henry thus: "He was of middle stature, greater than the small, but exceeded by the very tall; his hair was black and set back upon the forehead; his eyes mildly bright; his chest brawny; his body fleshy." Conquest of Normandy In 1101, the following year, Robert Curthose attempted to seize the crown by invading England. In the Treaty of Alton, Robert agreed to recognize Henry as King of England and return peacefully to Normandy, upon receipt of an annual sum of 2000 marks, which Henry proceeded to pay. In 1105, to eliminate the continuing threat from Robert and to obviate the drain on his fiscal resources, Henry led an expeditionary force across the English Channel. Battle of Tinchebray On the morning of the 28 September 1106, exactly 40 years after William had landed in England, the decisive battle between his two sons, Robert Courthose and Henry Beauclerc took place in the small village of Tinchebray. This combat was totally unexpected and unprepared. Henry and his army was marching south from Barfleur on their way to Domfront and Robert was marching with his army from Falaise on their way to Mortain. They met at the crossroads at Tinchebray and the running battle which ensued was spread out over several kilometres. The site where most of the fighting took place is the village playing field today. Towards evening Robert tried to retreat but was captured by Henry's men at a place three Km North of Tinchebray where a farm named "Prise" (taken) stands today on the D22 road. The tombstones of three knights are nearby in the same road. King of England and Duke of Normandy After Henry had defeated his brother's Norman army at Tinchebray he imprisoned Robert, initially in the Tower of London, subsequently at Devizes Castle and later at Cardiff. One day while out riding Robert attempted to escape from Cardiff but his horse was bogged down in a swamp and he was recaptured. To prevent further escapes Henry had his eyes burnt out. Henry appropriated the Duchy of Normandy as a possession of England, and reunited his father's dominions. He attempted to reduce difficulties in Normandy by marrying his eldest son, William, to the daughter of Fulk V, Count of Anjou, then a serious enemy. Eight years later, after William's untimely death, a much more momentous union was made between Henry's daughter Matilda and Fulk's son Geoffrey Plantagenet, which eventually resulted in the union of the two realms under the Plantagenet kings. Activities as a King He had two children by Edith-Matilda, who died in 1118: Matilda, born February 1102, and  William Adelin, born November 1103.  Disaster struck when William, his only legitimate son, perished in the wreck of the White Ship on 25 November 1120 off the coast of Normandy. Also among the dead were two of Henry's illegitimate children, as well as a niece, Lucia-Mahaut de Blois. Henry's grieving was intense, and the succession was in crisis. Second marriage On 29 January 1121, he married Adeliza, daughter of Godfrey I of Leuven, Duke of Lower Lotharingia and Landgrave of Brabant, but there were no children from this marriage. Left without male heirs, Henry took the unprecedented step of making his barons swear to accept his daughter Empress Matilda, widow of Henry V, the Holy Roman Emperor, as his heir. Death and legacy Henry visited Normandy in 1135 to see his young grandsons, the children of Matilda and Geoffrey. He took great delight in his grandchildren, but soon quarreled with his daughter and son-in-law and these disputes led him to tarry in Normandy far longer than he originally planned. Henry died of food poisoning from eating "a surfeit of lampreys," of which he was excessively fond, in December 1135 at Lyons-la-forêt in Normandy. He was buried at Reading Abbey, which he had founded fourteen years before. (No trace of his tomb has survived and the probable site is now covered by a car park.) Although Henry's barons had sworn allegiance to his daughter as their queen, her sex and her remarriage into the House of Anjou, an enemy of the Normans, allowed Henry's nephew Stephen of Blois to come to England and claim the throne with popular support. The struggle between the Empress and Stephen resulted in a long civil war known as the Anarchy. The dispute was eventually settled by Stephen's naming of Matilda's son, Henry, as his heir in 1153. Illegitimate Children King Henry is famed for holding the record for the largest number of acknowledged illegitimate children born to any English king, with the number being around 20 or 25. He had many mistresses, and identifying which mistress is the mother of which child is difficult. His illegitimate offspring for whom there is documentation are: Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. His mother was probably a member of the Gai family.  Maud FitzRoy, married Conan III, Duke of Brittany  Constance FitzRoy, married Roscelin de Beaumont  Mabel FitzRoy, married William III Gouet  Aline FitzRoy, married Matthieu I of Montmorency  William de Tracy, died shortly after King Henry.  Gilbert FitzRoy, died after 1142. His mother may have been a sister of Walter de Gand.  Emma, born circa 1138; married Gui de Laval, Lord Laval.  Eustacie, born circa 1084. Married William Gouet II, Lord Montmirial.  [edit] With Edith Matilda du Perche, married Count Rotrou II of Perche, perished in the wreck of the White Ship.  [edit] With Ansfride Ansfride was born circa 1070. She was married Sir Anskill of Abingdon Abbey. Juliane de Fontevrault, married Eustace de Pacy. She tried to shoot her father with a crossbow after King Henry allowed her two young daughters to be blinded.  Fulk FitzRoy, a monk at Abingdon.  Richard of Lincoln, perished in the wreck of the White Ship.  [edit] With Sibyl Corbet Lady Sybilla Corbet of Alcester was born in 1077 in Alcester, Warwickshire, England. She married Herbert FitzHerbert, son of Herbert "the Chamberlain" of Winchester and Emma de Blois. She died after 1157 and was also known as Adela (or Lucia) Corbet. Sybil was definitely mother of Sybil and Rainald, possibly also of William and Rohese. Some sources suggest that there was another daughter by this relationship, Gundred, but it appears that she was thought as such because she was a sister of Reginald de Dunstanville but it appears that that was another person of that name who was not related to this family. Sybilla of England, married King Alexander I of Scotland.  William Constable, born before 1105. Married Alice (Constable); died after 1187.  Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall.  Gundred of England (1114 – 1146), married 1130 Henry de la Pomeroy, son of Joscelin de la Pomerai.  Rohese of England, born 1114; married Henry de la Pomeroy.  With Edith FitzForne Robert FitzEdith, Lord Okehampton, (1093 – 1172) married Dame Maud d'Avranches du Sap.  Adeliza FitzEdith. Appears in charters with her brother Robert.  With Princess Nest Nesta verch Rhys of Deheubarth was born circa 1073 at Dynevor, Llandyfeisant, Carmarthenshire, Wales. She was married first to Gerald (Geraldus) de Windsor (FitzOther de Windsor) (Wi28-2), son of Walter FitzOther de Windsor (Wi29), Keeper of the Forest and Gwladys Verch Rhywallon), in 1095. Later, after several other liaisons and illegitimate children, she married Stephen of Cardigan, Constable of Cardigan Date of death unknown, but Stephen was Constable in 1136. Henry FitzRoy, died 1157.  With Isabel de Beaumont Isabel (Elizabeth) de Beaumont (b after 1102 – d after 1172), daughter of Robert de Beaumont, sister of Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester. She married Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke, in 1130. She was also known as Isabella de Meulan. Isabel Hedwig of England, born circa 1120.  Matilda FitzRoy, abbess of Montvilliers.	William II, Rufus the Red (1087-1100 AD) . William II earned the nickname Rufus either because of his red hair or his propensity for anger. William Rufus never married and had no offspring. The manner in which William the Conqueror divided his possessions caused turmoil among his sons: his eldest son Robert received the duchy of Normandy, William Rufus acquired England, and his youngest son Henry inherited 5000 pounds of silver. The contention between the brothers may have exerted an influence on the poor light in which William Rufus was historically portrayed. Many Norman barons owned property on both sides of the English Channel and found themselves in the midst of a tremendous power play. Hesitant to declare sides, most of the barons eventually aligned with Robert due to William Rufus' cruelty and avarice. Robert, however, failed to make an appearance in England and William Rufus quelled the rebellion. He turned his sights to Normandy in 1089, bribing Norman barons for support and subsequently eroding his brother's power base. In 1096, Robert, tired of governing and quarreling with his brothers, pawned Normandy to William Rufus for 10,000 marks to finance his departure to the Holy Land on the first Crusade. Robert regained possession of the duchy after William Rufus' death in 1100. William Rufus employed all the powers of the crown to secure wealth. He manipulated feudal law to the benefit of the royal treasury: shire courts levied heavy fines, confiscation and forfeitures were harshly enforced, and exorbitant inheritance taxes were imposed. His fiscal policies included (and antagonized) the church - William Rufus had no respect for the clergy and they none for him. He bolstered the royal revenue by leaving sees open and diverting the money into his coffers. He treated the Church as nothing more than a rich corporation deserving of heavy taxing at a time when the Church was gaining in influence through the Gregorian reforms of the eleventh century. Aided by his sharp-witted minister, Ranulf Flambard, William Rufus greatly profited from clerical vacancies. The failed appointment and persecution of Anselm, Abbot of Bec, as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 added fuel to the historical denigration of William II; most contemporary writings were done by monks, who cared little for the crass, blasphemous king. On August 2, 1100, William Rufus was struck in the eye by an arrow and killed while hunting. Whether the arrow was a stray shot or premeditated murder is still under debate. 1066 and All That, a satire on medieval government, remembers William II in a unique manner: "William Rufus was always very angry and red in the face and was therefore unpopular, so that his death was a Good Thing."

The following material is taken from Les Seigneurs de Bohon by Jean LeMelletier, Coutances: Arnaud-Bellee, 1978.

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HUMPHREY III (Bo28)(died 1187), aide and counselor to Henry I, was constable of England. He aided Empress Mathilda against King Steven and later reaped the fruits of his choice during the rule of Henry II, with whom he was familiar.

HUMPHREY IV (Bo27) (died 1182) married the sister of King William the Lion of Scotland.

HENRY DE BOHON (Bo26) (died 1220), first earl of Hereford in this family, supported King John (Lackland) when Normandy was reclaimed by France in 1204. He was an important participant in the movement to establish the Magna Carta and was one of the 25 selected to police it.

HUMPHREY V (Bo27) (died 1275), second earl of Hereford and first earl of Essex, was a great soldier and played a major role in the uprising of the barons against the absolutism of Henry III.
 
 

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THE ORIGINS
Following tradition, the Mary family lived in the community of St. Come du Mont (Normandy). There was a Mary Street named after Ralph, first sire de Mary, friend of the sire of Sainte Marie du Mont and the dukes of Denmark in our country.
According to legend, Ralph was secretly married to the daughter of the lord of Mont Haguez. They had a son, Richard I de Mary, or Richard the Old, who is attributed with the founding of the churches of Sainte Come du Mont, de Bohon, and de Meautis in 950.

Richard de Mary (Mari or Meri) married Billeheude (Billeheust). This information comes from a document concerning the Bohon priory.

Billeheude is sometimes considered the daughter of a certain Richard de Billeheust or Richard de Saint Sauveur. In the family we find a Bileud or Bilelde, but at a later date she is considered the daughter of Neel II of Saint Saveur, one of the principal barons who revolted against William the Bastard during his youth.

Because of the uncertain relations with the Norsemen who landed at Contentin and their chief, Rollo, there was a strong desire to unite the conquering and native peoples. The Mary family also desired to hold onto their Christian origins and remain loyal to the dukes of Normandy. Richard de Mary had three sons: Richard, Humphrey, and Enjuger.
 
 

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Humphrey I (originally de Mary assumed the name de Bohon)
(Honfroy, Onfrei, Onfroi, Unfridus, Humfridus)
Humphrey I, also called The Old, was the founder of the house of Bohon. He is mainly known as a companion of William the Conqueror at the conquest of England and as the founder of the Bohon priory. Old English books designate him Humfridus cum Barba or Humphrey with the Beard. His beard distinguished him from other Norman knights of the period because they habitually shaved.
Humphrey was the godfather of William and was certainly close to him because we see the names of William, duchess Mathilde, and their children associated with Humphrey's children.

The oldest mention of Humphrey that we know of is in William's journals. It confirms a donation made at the abbey of St. Trinite du Mont at Rouen by Gilbert, Osbern's vassal. William's signature is accompanied by that of Humphrey, son of Richard, listed with the rest of William's men.

In 1062 we find Humphrey again with William at the Hogue de Biville, along with Roger de Montgomery and William, son of Osbern. At a meal in the middle of the road, William said they should be free like the common people of the neighboring priory of Heauville. In recounting the story, a monk said that a fellow diner criticized William's liberalism. Not taking too kindly to criticism, William threatened to strike him with a shoulder of pork.

According to a paper from about 1060, the knight Humphrey, a rich and noble man, granted the priory he founded, St. Georges de Bohon, to the abbey of St. Martin of Marmoutier. Humphrey tells us
 

with the inspiration of God and the patronage of lord earl William for the relief of my soul, and those of the late Richard of Mary, my father, and of the late Billeheude, my mother...in the octave of the Pentecost before the venerable father Geoffrey, bishop of Coutances... I protect the abbey of St. Martin, the servants Arnouf, Heribert, and Roger, and the other people whose names are inscribed here.
The authenticity of this act, of which the original documents were unfortunately destroyed, does not seem to bear to be contested.
The latest dates proposed for the founding of the priory come from dates of estate foundings (from Martene and Miss Gantier 1068; Gerville and the Bernard abbey 1092; L. Musset between 1066 & 1087). However, the title of earl was given to William before 1066 and the founding of the priory was earlier. Originally the priory was settled by four secular canons. The act of including the priory with the abbey was precisely to entrust it with the lands of a knight. (A knight cared for and protected his lands and those who lived there from thieves, warring lords, etc.)

In later years St. Martin became very popular. It was at Marmoutier that William himself joined the Battle Abbey, founded to commemorate the Battle of Hastings where it was fought.

A document signed by Sir William, duke of the Normands, before 1066 shows that Humphrey de Bohon gave a garden from his fief (holdings) in Puchay to the nuns of St. Amand in Rouen for the repose of his soul and those of his three wives when one of his daughters became religious.

The monastery of St. Leger in Preaux was given the deeds to Barbeville, St. Marie's Church, the town of Carentan, and the neighboring rectory. Later Humphrey bequeathed the monastery a convent that his second daughter entered. Humphrey's sons Robert and Richard agreed with his actions.

By 1066 Humphrey had been married three times, two daughters had entered the convent, and sons Robert and Richard were old enough to assume their inheritance. Humphrey was a senior citizen.

Wace cited among the soldiers of Hastings: E de Bohon the older Humphrey.

Humphrey's name, a bit distorted, is seen on a majority of other lists of William's battle companions. As Wace's poem was written more than a hundred years after the events happened, some feel that Humphrey was not among the people at the Battle of Hastings. Taking into account the type of document (poem), it is very probable that Humphrey did participate in the battle. He was also with several neighbors of Cotentin and probably vassals, whose names were associated with his.

On the Bayeux tapestry, in a meal scene presided over by Bishop Odo, a bearded man is sitting to William's right. It is possible that this is Humphrey de Bohon--with the Beard--who would occupy a place of honor at the table out of respect for his age.

Ten years after Hastings, William was in England, so Queen Mathilda was left in charge of the government in Normandy. We know Humphrey was also in Normandy because of the act of Cherbourg, about 1076. Under the king's orders, he rendered justice with the monks at the Heauville priory against Bertram de Bricquebec, viscount of Cotentin, who had levied unfair taxes on his people.

Humphrey is mentioned in the Domesday Book (a great census taken of all the lands and people in England as ordered by William, between 1080 and 1086) as a champion and defender of the throne, and as lord of Taterford in Norfolk. Much of his wealth is attributed to the goodwill of William and the spoils of the campaigns, which was not a unique situation. However, the possession of large estates and properties in England was not all fun; they were hard to protect from raiders and warring lords. Humphrey probably also benefitted from Normandy's continued growth and profits from his holdings.

Humphrey's signature is on:

A treaty at Bayeaux. The king presided over the treaty between the abbey of Mont St. Michel and William Paynel.
Two documents of Boscherville on 30 January 1080, with the signatures of his son Richard, and William, Mathilda, and their two sons. One is the endowment of the church of St. Georges de Boscherville; the other documents a gift of St. Gervais Church and St. Portais to St. Florent de Saumur with other revenues by William de Briouze.
A document of William the Conqueror at Caen confirming the foundation of the Lessay Abbey on 14 July 1080.
Another document for the foundation of the Montebourg Abbey.
Humphrey's decision to combine the priory with the abbey was contested by Geoffrey (son of Nervee) who reclaimed the priory. The case was settled in favor of Humphrey by a judgment of the king's court on 27 December 1080 at Cherbourg. Among the witnesses were Humphrey de Bohon, his son Richard, and Torchetil de Bohon.

Continually Humphrey added his border lands to his holdings. In answer to his request, he received a formal deed from King William at Bernouville, probably at the end of 1081.

Other religious establishments benifitted from his generosity.

Humphrey died between 1080 and 1093. He had four sons that we know of: Robert, Humphrey, Richard, and Enguerran, and two daughters. Robert died young, before his father. Enguerran became a monk at Marmoutier in the Bohon priory. Richard began another branch, whose descendents include (in France) Enjuger de Bohon and Richard de Bohon, bishop of Coutances, and (in England) the Bohons of Midhurst, Jocelin, bishop of Salisbury, and Reginald and Savary, bishops of Bath. Humphrey became the illustrious ancestor of the earls of Hereford.
 
 

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Humphrey II
The sources for this branch of the Bohons, earls of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton, are all English. The name Bohon was changed to Boun, Boon, Bowne, etc. It was later considered to signify master or boss. Humfridus, Onfroi, and Honfroy are translated as Humphrey.
The frequent repetition of the first name Humphrey causes a lot of confusion. The English begin their line with the first Humphrey born in Great Britain, who is our Humphrey II.

Humphrey II, known as Humphrey the Magnificent or Humphrey the Great, benefitted from the favor of King William Rufus (son of William the Conqueror). His signature is on a number of papers of Henry I. Thus we can follow him around England (1103-1109), then in Normandy at Avranches (1113) and Rouen (1119), then in England (1121), back to Rouen (1125), and back to England (1128).

Humphrey II gave the church of Bishop Street in Salisbury (Wiltshire) to the Lewes Abbey (next to Newhaven) and the church of Cheleworth to the St. Dennis priory (Southampton). He was a witness at the founding of Savigney Abbey by Ralph de Fougeres.

Humphrey married Maud (Mathilda or Mahaut, who died 1142), daughter of Edward de Salisbury, between 1087 and 1100. The dowry gave him important estates in the Wiltshire area and the barony of Trowbridge. This was the first of a series of marriages which benefitted the Bohons. They had a daughter, Maud, and a son, Humphrey III. Humphrey II died around 1129.

Edward de Salisbury or Saresbury, lord of Chittern (Wiltshire), is often considered like a son of William d'Evreux, earl of Rosmare or Roumare and companion of William the Conqueror. He possessed very important lands at Salisbury and other areas. He wore the banner of Henry I at the Battle of Bremule where he fought against King Louis VI of France (20 August 1119). Besides his daughter Maud, he had a son, Walter (died 1147). Edward died 1130.
 
 

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Humphrey III
Humphrey III, lord of Trowbridge and constable of England, was very close to Henry I and later Henry II. He assisted Empress Mathilda against King Stephen.
Born in 1109, Humphrey died 6 April 1187. He married Margery (Marguerite, Margaret), eldest daughter of Milo of Gloucester from whom he received the heriditary right to the title of constable of England.

Milo of Gloucester (Milon, Miles Fitz Walter) inherited the title of constable of England and later that of earl of Hereford. He was the grandson of Roger de Pitres, contemporary of William the Conqueror and sheriff of Gloucester, and the son of Walter (Gautier), constable of Henry I.

Milo possessed a considerable honor from the inheritance of his father's lands in Gloucestershire and his marriage in 1121 to Sybyl, sole heiress of Bernard de Newmarch (he conquered the ancient kingdom of Brychan in Breconshire, Wales, including Talgarth, Chatellenie de Hay, Ystradvy forest, and the mini-kingdom of Brecon or Brecknock, and died in 1125. Empress Mathilda gave Bernard Abergavenny castle and St. Briavel castle.) Milo became earl of Hereford in 1141. His family should not be confused with the earls of Gloucester.

Milo died of a hunting accident on 25 December 1143, leaving four sons: Roger, who died childless in 1155; Walter, Henry, and Mahel, who all died childless before 1166. His inheritance was split among his daughters: Margery; Bertha, who married Philip de Brause; and Lucy.

Humphrey III was steward and chancellor to Henry I, perhaps following his father. He shared this post with Hugh Bigot/Bigod, Robert Haye, and Simon de Beauchamp. Sometimes he is confused with his father.

We can follow Humphrey III in the entourage of King Henry I by the documents he signed at Arques and Dieppe (1131), various English towns (1131-1133), in Normandy at Rouen (1133 & 1134), and at Argentan (about the same time).

When Steven of Blois, earl of Mortain, grandson of William the Conqueror and Adele, was crowned king of England after Henry I died (1135), Humphrey kept his duties as steward presiding over charters. Two were written at Evreux in 1137. One concerned infractions against God; the other gave land in Bramford (Suffolk) to St. Mary d'Evreux. In 1139 Empress Mathilda arrived in Sussex with her her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, to reclaim the inheritance of his father. Humphrey, at the instigation of his father-in-law, Milo de Gloucester, rallied with Mathilda and defended Trowbridge against King Steven.

During the troublesome years of the anarchy that followed, Humphrey passionately fought with Mathilda's loyal and true followers. He witnessed Milo being named earl of Hereford in recognition of his (Milo's) services on 25 July 1141.

Humphrey's signature is found on several documents in many English villages.

After initial success, the Battle of Winchester (1141) marked a turnaround and Humphrey was taken prisoner.

In 1143 in Devizes (Wiltshire), Mathilda reinstated possession of lands and the office of chancellor of England to Henry in a written document. She also gave him new wealth and land: Melchesam, Boczam, Malmesbury, and Stokes-Wiltshire. (Humphrey had been relieved of his duties after the reign of Henry I.)

Humphrey signed a document of Prince Henry in 1149/1150 at Devizes and another in 1150/1151 at Argentan.

In 1150 Trowbridge Castle was taken by Stephen.

When the abbey church of Montebourg was dedicated in 1152, Humphrey consented to the gift of the church of St. Gregoire de Catz by Ildebert de Catz and Steven de Magneville.

After the death of his father, Geoffrey Plantagenet (1153), Henry was in England leading the army. Henry made an agreement with Stephen when Eustache, Stephen's son, died, whereby Henry would succeed him to the throne when he died (the next year). Henry II then confirmed Humphrey's inheritances in England and Normandy and his titles.

Because of his role as lord chancellor and his signatures on numerous documents, we are able to account for Humphrey's whereabouts. He was in England with the king (1153-1154); in Normandy (1156) at Argentan, Falaise, and Quevilly (1174); with his peers in Chinon (1170-1173); back in England (between 1174-1179); and again in Normandy at Valognes, Cherbourg, and Bonneville-sur-Touques (1180 & 1182).

In January 1164 Humphrey was one of the barons summoned to the Council of Clarendon where the constitutions were drawn up.

In April 1173 when Prince Henry rebelled against his father, King Henry II, Humphrey stood by the king. With Richard de Lucy he invaded Scotland in an attack against King William the Lion who supported Prince Henry and the destruction of the bishop's palace at Durham. Humphrey and company burned Berwick and penetrated deeply into Scotland. But when they learned of the landing of Robert de Beaumont (earl of Leicester and friend of Prince Henry) in Suffolk (29 September 1173), they made a truce with William the Lion and marched against Beaumont. Humphrey battled with the help of the peasants and was taken prisoner with his wife at Fornham St. Geneviere near Bury St. Edmond (Suffolk) on 16 October 1173. The prisoners were taken to Falaise castle.

The 1st of December 1174/5 in Falaise, Humphrey witnessed a peace accord between Henry II and William the Lion recognizing the sovereigncy of England over Scotland.

Humphrey's fortune considerably increased with the death of his father- in-law, Milo of Gloucester, who without male heirs left a third of his wealth to each daughter. Humphrey also inherited the position of constable of England that was held by his father-in-law. In 1166 Humphrey inherited 3 1/2 parts of a knight's fees (rent) from his grandfather's provinces and 9 1/2 parts "de novo." His wife received 17 parts from Milo's provinces and 3 3/4 parts of her brothers' land.

He kept in Normandy a part of the inheritance from Humphrey I, particulary land at Carentan and Pont D'Ouve. A document confirmed the gifts of his ancestors and the men of the Bohon priory. Among the witnesses of this act were Enjuger de Bohon, Robert of Bohon priory, duchess Margaret, and Henry de Bohon.

A letter from Humphrey de Bohon to the men of Normandy and England stated that Humphrey and his son gave to the Blanchelande Abbey the title of Moulin de Biard with Pont D'Ouve.

In 1181 with Alexander de Bohon he witnessed the foundation of Barbery Abbey.

Across the Channel Humphrey founded the priory of Monkton Farley (Wiltshire) with his wife, supported by the Lewes Abbey. Near the beautiful forests and streams in England, his rich endowment provided them with a large yearly income. Among the benefactors associated with this foundation are Mathilda de Bohon (his mother), Ildebert de Catz (Chaz), Robert de Carentan, and his vassals; among the witnesses were William de Beuzeville and Humphrey de St. Vigor.

Humphrey died 6 April 1187. He was buried at the Lanthony Abbey (Gloucestershire) founded by his father-in-law.

He had a son, Humphrey IV, and a daughter Margaret, first wife of Waleran, earl of Warwick.
 
 

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Humphrey IV
According the the chronicle of Lanthony, Humphrey IV was earl of Hereford and constable of England. But he died before his father, probably in 1182 in France while serving Henry the younger, so he never had the titles.
Humphrey was married to Margaret of Scotland (who died 1201), daughter of Henry, earl of Huntington, and sister of King William the Lion of Scotland, and widow of Conan le Petit, earl of Brittany and Richmond (who died 1171).

After Humphrey's death, his widow confirmed the gift of a marketplace to the priory of Bradenstoke that he had specified in his will.
 
 

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Henry
Henry de Bohon (1176-1220), earl of Hereford, played an important role in the revolt of the barons against King John. Born in 1176, he succeeded his grandfather honorably.
Henry married Maud (Mathilda, died 1236), daughter of Geoffrey (Geoffrey Fitz Piers de Mandavill), son of Pierre de Mandeville, earl of Essex. She was sister and heiress of William de Mandeville who died childless in 1189 and was appointed the barony of Pleshey (Essex).

The Mandeville family descended from Geoffrey, companion of William the Conqueror. His son was constable of the Tower of London. His grandson, also named Geoffrey, was strong and ambitious. Later he was depossessed of his lands and excommunicated for having pillaged the church lands, so he revolted against Stephen and was mortally wounded in his attack of Burwell castle.

Geoffrey (the grandson) left three sons. The oldest Ernald, shared in his father's revolt and was exiled. The second, Geoffrey, succeeded his father and died in 1166. The third, William, third earl of Essex and earl of Aumale, succeeded his brother. He was grand chamberlain to Henry II and played an important role in the wars between Louis VII of France and Philip Auguste. He accompanied Philip, earl of Flanders, on the crusade. He was also called the grand justicier. William died childless at Rouen on 14 November 1189, leaving his wealth to his sister, Maud.

The reign of King John (1199-1216) started out well for Henry when he was created earl of Hereford on 28 April 1199. Henry was the first of the Bohons to have the title, which included an annual income.

The following year Henry and other nobles summoned his uncle in Scotland, William the Lion, to appear at Lincoln to do homage.

In 1203 Henry witnessed a document where King John confirmed the dowry of Queen Isabelle.

The principal interests of the Bohons were in England. Henry paid taxes of 50 marks and a groom, corresponding to 20 parts of a knight's fee, on the Huntington land he inherited from his mother. In Normandy, Henry kept his more modest holdings (from Humphrey I) at Carentan and Pont D'Ouve.

After the first time France reclaimed Normandy (1204), Henry stayed loyal to John. His lands in Normandy were confiscated by Philip- Auguste. Then King John imposed a heavy tax to maintain the campaign of 1213-1214 to prevent the crushing of a coalition formed at Bouvines on 27 July 1214 by England, Flanders, and the German Empire. The king was discredited and there was general discontent. The forces were dissatisfied that the king awarded certain barons without their having to go through the regular tests and examinations.

Then there was a revolt of barons in which Henry took an active part. The revolt ended with the signing of the Magna Carta at Runnymede (Surrey) on 12 July 1215. The lands that had been confiscated from Henry were returned and the 25 lords took it upon themselves to make sure the charter was enforced.

The Bohons enjoyed being in possession of great lands at the frontier of the Welsh country which was always threatened. The other marcher lords enjoyed it, too, because their military importance and independence was greater than that of other royal lords. Politically they were stronger by being closer to the king.

The lull was cut short when the war restarted. The following year John had Pope Innocent III excommunicate the earl of Hereford, which only increased the opposition to the king. John joined forces with the army of Prince Louis of France (the future Louis VIII) when barons from the north landed in England.

John died on October 19, 1216, but Henry de Bohon did not ally himself with the new king, Henry III. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lincoln on 20 May 1217, where Louis of France was defeated.

Henry gave the churches of Boxe and Wilsford (Lincolnshire) to the priory of Monkton Farley, and gave a pension to St. Nicolas Hospital in Salisbury.

Henry de Bohon died 1 June 1220 while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. His body was returned to Lanthony abbey.

He had four sons: Humphrey V, who succeeded him; Henry, who died young; Ralph, benefactor of the Abbey of Grendon who married Lora; and Robert, mentioned in the Book of Walden.
 
 

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Humphrey V
Humphrey V, second earl of Hereford, first earl of Essex, and constable of England, was also called the good earl of Hereford. He was a contemporary of Henry III and died 24 September 1274/5.
Born before 1208, Humphrey married twice. His first wife was Maud (Mathilda), daughter of Ralph of Lusignan, count d'Eu (who died 1219). His second wife was Maud (Mathilda) of Avebury, daughter and heiress of Roger of Tosny (who died 1264).

The Tosny (Tony, Toeni) family was a very important one originating in France. Hugh de Tosny, archbishop of Rouen, was the source of their fortune. Roger I de Tosny fought the Muselmans in Catalogne. Robert de Toeni was on the list of companions of William the Conqueror at Hastings and was lord of Stafford with the possessions of seven earls. His brothers, Roger II and Beranger, also had considerable domains. The former (Roger II) was builder of Clifford castle (Herefordshire). Their sister, Alice, married William, son of Osborn. The following generation Ralph III married the daughter of Walthof, the sister of Baldwin, earl of Boulogne. In 1204, the Tosnys, like the Bohons, supported John and lost their lands in Normandy.

Humphrey succeeded his father on 1 June 1220, then came into possession of his lands and was confirmed earl of Hereford. After the death of his maternal uncle, William of Mandeville, he inherited the title of earl of Essex (28 April 1228).

In 1227 Humphrey V helped solve a quarrel between Henry III and his brother, Richard, earl of Cornwall (whom Humphrey supported). He declared his intentions to postpone the judgment of the king's court and royal lords. The king refused and ordered him to submit or give up his titles. With other important barons Humphrey took the side of Richard. The conspirators raised an army, and at Stamford (Lincoln) they demanded the reinstatement of the earl's duties, an apology, and the confirmation of the liberties guaranteed by the document. The king conceded.

Humphrey was reinstated as marshall of the king's house. He served at the marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence (1236), and was one of nine godfathers at the christening of the future Edward I (1239).

From 1239-1241 Humphrey was sheriff of Kent and constable of Dover castle. He also distinguished himself in the Welsh and French wars.

In 1242 Henry II led an expedition to reconquer Poitou, which was occupied by Louis VIII of France. Humphrey accompanied him in Gascogny, but became irritated by the influence of the strangers/counselors under the king. He returned to England with the duke of Cornwall. The expedition later ended as a loss.

Two years later with the earl of Clare, Humphrey took part in the suppression of a Welsh revolt. After an initial success, they were defeated, partly because the earl had been accused of embezzling part of the inheritance of his sister-in-law, Isabelle (wife of David who was son of Llewelyn).

In 1246 Humphrey joined in a letter to Pope Innocent IV denouncing the oppression exercised over England by the court of Rome.

In 1248 Humphrey was presented to Parliament. In 1250 he took the cross and went to the Holy Land.

In the meantime the queen was lavishing favors on the French in her entourage and the king increased his spending, causing discontent among the barons. In 1253 Humphrey participated in a grand remonstrance made to the king at Westminster Hall with the "bell, book, and candle" for violations against the Magna Carta, a prelude to the revolt.

The same year he founded the church of the Augustin Brothers on Broad Street in London. In 1254 he was in Gascogny with the king.

From 1256-1258 "Mr. Humphrey de Boun" participated in many battles with the Welsh. In 1259 he was one of the barons who worked to re-establish a truce between King Henry III and Llewelyn, Prince of Wales. But the following year there were again hostilities between the two. The king summoned Richard of Clare and Humphrey de Bohon to the army with other lords, Humphrey de Boun Jr. and Frank de Boun.

Humphrey was one of the councillors to draw up the Provisions of Oxford in 1258 which affirmed the Magna Carta and reformed its misuse. He was one of the Council of Fifteen that advised the king. The next year he was commissioner to ratify a treaty between France and England. In 1260 Humphrey was a traveling judge for the counties of Hereford, Gloucester, and Worcester. In 1262, he negotiated peace with Llewelyn of Wales.

Humphrey V's attitude toward the new conflicts between the king and the barons has been confused with that of his son. When the barons divided their confederation Humphrey sided with Simon de Montfort. In 1263 he was one of the important barons who supported the king while his son was on the opposite side. Humphrey was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lewes.

Humphrey V was chosen one of 12 arbitrators to bring peace between the king and Simon. He died 24 September 1275 on the way to Kenilworth (Warwick). There the king stated the principles he was willing to compromise on to end the revolt surrounding Kenilworth Castle. Humphrey was buried with his ancestors at Lanthony.

He had one son from his first wife, Humphrey VI, his successor, and four daughters: Mathilda (Maud) who married Anselme Marshall, earl of Pembroke (died 1245); Cecilia or Alicia, who married Ralph de Toni; a third who married Roger de Quincy, earl of Winchester; and a fourth.

From his second marriage he had one son, John, lord of Haresfield, who participated in the Battle of Evesham as one of the rebels. John then reconciled with the king and was the father of Edmond de Bohon.