Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford

Arms of Bohun: Azure, a bend argent cotised or between six lions rampant or

Humphrey (IV) de Bohun (1204 – 24 September 1275) was 2nd Earl of Hereford and 1st Earl of Essex, as well as Constable of England. He was the son of Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford, and Maud of Essex (Maud de Lusignan).

Career

He was one of the nine godfathers of Prince Edward, later to be Edward I of England. He served as High Sheriff of Kent for 1239–1240.

In 1258, after returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Humphrey fell away, like his father, from the royal to the baronial cause. He served as a nominee of the opposition on the committee of twenty-four which was appointed, in the Oxford parliament of that year, to create the Provisions of Oxford to reform the administration. It was only the alliance of Montfort with Llewelyn of North Wales that brought the earl of Hereford back to his allegiance. Humphrey V headed the first secession of the Welsh Marchers from the party of the opposition (1263), and was amongst the captives whom the Montfortians took at the Battle of Lewes.

The earl's son and namesake was on the victorious side, and shared in the defeat of Evesham, which he did not long survive. Humphrey V was, therefore, naturally selected as one of the twelve arbitrators to draw up the Dictum of Kenilworth (1266), by which the disinherited rebels were allowed to make their peace. Dying in 1275, he was succeeded by his grandson Humphrey VII.

Marriage and children

He married c. 1236 Maud de Lusignan (c. 1210 – 14 August 1241, buried at Llanthony, Gloucester), daughter of Raoul I of Lusignan, Comte d'Eu by marriage, and second wife Alix d'Eu, 8th Comtesse d'Eu and 4th Lady of Hastings, and had issue. Their children were:

1. Humphrey (V) de Bohun, who predeceased his father in 1265. The earldom therefore passed through him to his son Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford)
2. Henry de Bohun
3. Geoffrey de Bohun
4. Ralph de Bohun, Clerk
5. Maud de Bohun, married (1) Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke; (2) Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester
6. Alice de Bohun, married Roger V de Toeni
7. Eleanor de Bohun, married Sir John de Verdun, Baron of Westmeath

He married secondly, Maud de Avenbury (d. 8 October 1273), with whom he had two sons:

1. John de Bohun
2. Sir Miles de Bohun

Death & burial

He died in Warwickshire and was buried at Llanthony Secunda, Gloucester.

References

• Complete Peerage

Peerage of England
Preceded by Henry de Bohun	Earl of Hereford 1220–1275	Succeeded by Humphrey V de Bohun
Preceded by William de Mandeville	Earl of Essex 1239–1275
Preceded by Henry de Bohun	Lord High Constable 1220–1275	Succeeded by Humphrey V de Bohun