Humphrey II de Bohun
Encyclopedia
Humphrey II de Bohun was an Anglo-Norman
aristocrat, the third of his family after the Norman Conquest. He was the son and heir of Humphrey I
and Maud, a daughter of Edward of Salisbury
, an Anglo-Saxon
landholder in Wiltshire
. His father died around 1123 and he inherited an honour centred on Trowbridge
, although he still owed feudal relief
for this as late as 1130.
Shortly after the elder Humphrey's death, his widow and son founded the Cluniac priory of Monkton Farleigh
in accordance with Humphrey's wishes. By 1130 the younger Humphrey also owed four hundred marks to the Crown for the Stewardship, which he had purchased. He appears in royal charters of Henry I
towards 1135, and in 1136 he signed the charter of liberties issued by Stephen
at his Oxford
court.
In the civil war that coloured Stephen's reign Humphrey sided with his rival, the Empress Matilda
after she landed in England in 1139. He repelled a royal army besieging his castle at Trowbridge, and in 1144 Matilda confirmed his possessions, granted him some lands, and recognised his "stewardship in England and Normandy". He consistently witnessed charters of Matilda as steward in the 1140s and between 1153 and 1157 he witnessed the charters of her son, then Henry II
, with the same title.
In 1158 he appears to have fallen from favour, for he was deprived of royal demesne
lands he had been holding in Wiltshire. He does not appear in any royal act until January 1164, when he was present for the promulgation of the Constitutions of Clarendon
. He died sometime before 29 September 1165, when his son, Humphrey III
, had succeeded him in Trowbridge. He left a widow in Margaret of Hereford
, daughter of Earl Miles of Hereford
and Sibyl de Neufmarché
.
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
aristocrat, the third of his family after the Norman Conquest. He was the son and heir of Humphrey I
Humphrey I de Bohun
Humphrey I de Bohun was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat, the youngest son of Humphrey with the Beard, who had taken part in the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He married Maud, a daughter of the Anglo-Saxon landholder Edward of Salisbury, through whom he acquired an honour in Wiltshire with its...
and Maud, a daughter of Edward of Salisbury
Edward of Salisbury
Edward of Salisbury was a nobleman and courtier , probably part Anglo-Saxon, who served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire during the reigns of William I, William II and Henry I....
, an Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
landholder in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. His father died around 1123 and he inherited an honour centred on Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
, although he still owed feudal relief
Feudal relief
Feudal Relief was a one-off "fine" or form of taxation payable to an overlord by the heir of a feudal tenant to licence him to take possession of his fief, i.e. an estate-in-land, by inheritance...
for this as late as 1130.
Shortly after the elder Humphrey's death, his widow and son founded the Cluniac priory of Monkton Farleigh
Monkton Farleigh
Monkton Farleigh is a small village in west Wiltshire, England, 3 miles from Bradford-on-Avon, and 5 miles from the city of Bath...
in accordance with Humphrey's wishes. By 1130 the younger Humphrey also owed four hundred marks to the Crown for the Stewardship, which he had purchased. He appears in royal charters of Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
towards 1135, and in 1136 he signed the charter of liberties issued by Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
at his Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
court.
In the civil war that coloured Stephen's reign Humphrey sided with his rival, the Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
after she landed in England in 1139. He repelled a royal army besieging his castle at Trowbridge, and in 1144 Matilda confirmed his possessions, granted him some lands, and recognised his "stewardship in England and Normandy". He consistently witnessed charters of Matilda as steward in the 1140s and between 1153 and 1157 he witnessed the charters of her son, then Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, with the same title.
In 1158 he appears to have fallen from favour, for he was deprived of royal demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
lands he had been holding in Wiltshire. He does not appear in any royal act until January 1164, when he was present for the promulgation of the Constitutions of Clarendon
Constitutions of Clarendon
The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. The Constitutions were composed of 16 articles and represent an attempt to restrict ecclesiastical privileges and curb the power of the Church courts and the extent of Papal authority in England...
. He died sometime before 29 September 1165, when his son, Humphrey III
Humphrey III de Bohun
Humphrey III de Bohun was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and general who served Henry II as Constable. He was the son of Humphrey II de Bohun and Margaret of Hereford, the eldest daughter of the erstwhile constable Miles of Gloucester. He had succeeded to his father's fiefs, centred on Trowbridge, by 29...
, had succeeded him in Trowbridge. He left a widow in Margaret of Hereford
Margaret of Hereford
Margaret of Hereford was an English noblewoman and the eldest daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford by his wife, the wealthy Cambro-Norman heiress Sibyl de Neufmarché. Margaret married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had five children...
, daughter of Earl Miles of Hereford
Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford
Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, Lord of Brecknock was the son of Walter de Gloucester, who served as hereditary sheriff of that county between 1104 and 1121....
and Sibyl de Neufmarché
Sibyl de Neufmarché
Sibyl de Neufmarché, Countess of Hereford, suo jure Lady of Brecknock , was a Cambro-Norman noblewoman, heiress to one of the most substantial fiefs in the Welsh Marches...
.