Humphrey de Bohun

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Humphrey de Bohun was the name of a number of men in medieval England, all members of a prominent noble family.

• Humphrey 'with the beard' came to England after the Norman Conquest. His son:
• Humphrey was probably one of Henry I's stewards. His son:
• Humphrey (d. April 6, 1187) fought on the Empress' side during the Anarchy, and later supported her son Henry II during some of the rebellions of during his reign. He married Margaret, daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford. Their son:
• Humphrey, of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, Hereditary Constable of England (d. 1182), is sometimes referred to as Earl of Hereford after the failure of the male line in his mother's family, but was never formally installed as or created earl. He married Margaret, (her second marriage), daughter of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne. Since he died before his father, the family lands were inherited by his son Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford, of that creation dated April 28, 1200. Henry was succeeded by his son:
• Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford and 1st Earl of Essex (d. 1274). His son:
• Humphrey, predeceased his father. His son:
• Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford and 2nd Earl of Essex (d. 1298) is remembered for refusing to serve in Gascony except in company of the king. His son:
• Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and 3rd Earl of Essex (1276-1322). He was one of the leaders who deposed King Edward II's favorite Piers Gaveston. He fought at the Battle of Bannockburn, where he was captured by the Scots. He was killed at the Battle of Boroughbridge, while leading another rebellion against the king. He married Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward I, and was succeeded by his second son John, 5th Earl of Hereford and 4th Earl of Essex.
• Humphrey, 6th Earl of Hereford and 5th Earl of Essex (d. 1361) was the third son of the 4th Earl of Hereford, and succeeded his brother John. He was succeeded by his nephew:
• Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex, and 2nd Earl of Northampton (d. 1372). He was the son of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, who was son of the 4th Earl of Hereford.

The 7th Earl of Hereford was the last of this Bohun line. His great estate was split between his two daughters: Mary de Bohun, who married the future Henry IV (who was created Duke of Hereford before he was king), and Eleanor, who married Thomas of Woodstock.

The name Humphrey recurs among the two sisters' children and grandchildren, including Mary's son Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Eleanor's son Humphrey, Earl of Buckingham (d. 1399), and her grandson Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham.