The de Bohun then Bohun family is an English noble family of

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...

origin that played a prominent role in English political and military history during the

Late Middle Ages The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...

. The swan used by the family and their descendants as a heraldic badge came to be called the Bohun swan. Humphrey with the Beard (died c. 1113), who founded the English family, held the manor of Bohun (or Bohon) in

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

– on the

Cotentin Peninsula The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its west lie the Gu ...

between

Coutances Coutances () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History The capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of ''Constantia'' in 298 during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius ...

and the estuary of the

Vire Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie. Geography The town is located on the river Vire. Much o ...

. This is still reflected in place names such as

Saint-André-de-Bohon Saint-André-de-Bohon () is a Communes of France, commune in the Manche Departments of France, department in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Manche department References

...

and Saint-Georges-de-Bohon. From one son of Humphrey with the same name, the male line continued, becoming Earls of Hereford, Essex and Northampton, using the name Humphrey repeatedly in successive generations. The male line of another son of Humphrey with the Beard, Richard de Meri, died out in the 12th century, but his heirs in the female line took the surname of Bohun, giving rise to the Bohuns of

Midhurst Midhurst () is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester District in West Sussex, England. It lies on the River Rother (Western), River Rother, inland from the English Channel and north of Chichester. The name Midhurst was first reco ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

.K.S.B. Keats-Rohan, ''Domesday People'', Boydell, 1999, 272–273; K.S.B. Keats-Rohan, ''Domesday Descendants'', Boydell, 2002, 331-333, 876, 956 * Humphrey with the Beard (died c. 1113) **Richard de Meri ***Richard de Bohun ****Richard de Bohun (d. 1179), Bishop of Coutances ****

Josceline de Bohon Josceline de Bohon or Bohun ( c. 1111–1184) was an Anglo-Norman religious leader. Life Josceline was a great-grandson of Humphrey de Bohun, one of the companions of William the Conqueror. Savaric FitzGeldewin, who was bishop of Bath from 1192 ...

(c. 1111 – 1184), Bishop of Salisbury *****

Reginald Fitz Jocelin Reginald Fitz Jocelin (died 26 December 1191) was a medieval Bishop of Bath and an Archbishop of Canterbury-elect in England. A member of an Anglo-Norman noble family, he was the son of a bishop, and was educated in Italy. He was a househol ...

(d. 1191), Bishop of Bath, Archbishop of Canterbury-elect ***Muriel, married Savaric Fitzcana of Midhurst ****Geldewin *****Franco de Bohun, ancestor of the Bohuns of Midhurst *****

Savaric FitzGeldewin Savaric fitzGeldewin (died 8 August 1205) was an Englishman who became Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury in England. Related to his predecessor as well as to Emperor Henry VI, he was elected bishop on the insistence of his predecessor, who urged his ...

(d. 1205), Bishop of Bath **

Humphrey I de Bohun Humphrey I de Bohun (died ''c''.1123), of Trowbridge Castle in Wiltshire, ''jure uxoris'' 3rd feudal baron of Trowbridge, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who by his lucrative marriage became "the founder of the fortunes of his family", later promin ...

(died c. 1123), married Maud, daughter of Edward of Salisbury ***

Humphrey II de Bohun Humphrey II de Bohun ( 1100 - died 1164/5) of Trowbridge Castle in Wiltshire and of Caldicot Castle in south-east Wales, 4th feudal baron of Trowbridge, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, the third generation of the Bohun family settled in England aft ...

(died 1164/5), married Margaret, daughter of Miles of Gloucester ****

Humphrey III de Bohun Humphrey III de Bohun (before 1144 – ? December 1181) of Trowbridge Castle in Wiltshire and of Caldicot Castle in south-east Wales, 5th feudal baron of Trowbridge, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and general who served King Henry II as Lord High ...

(died 1181), married Margaret of Huntingdon *****

Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford (1176 – 1 June 1220) of Pleshey Castle in Essex, was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman Nobility, nobleman who became Hereditary Constable of England from 1199. Origins Henry was the son and heir of Hum ...

(1176–1220), a Norman-English nobleman ******

Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford Humphrey IV de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford, 1st Earl of Essex (1204 – 24 September 1275) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and soldier who served as hereditary Constable of England. Origins He was the eldest son and heir of Henry de Bohun, 1st Ear ...

and 1st Earl of Essex (Humphrey IV, c. 1204 – 1275), Constable of England *******Humphrey V de Bohun (d. 1265), fought on the side of the rebellious barons in the Barons' War ********

Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford Humphrey (VI) de Bohun (c. 1249 – 31 December 1298), 3rd Earl of Hereford and 2nd Earl of Essex, was an English nobleman known primarily for his opposition to King Edward I over the ''Confirmatio Cartarum.''Fritze and Robison, (2002). He ...

and 2nd Earl of Essex (Humphrey VI, c. 1249 – c. 1298), a key figure in the Norman conquest of Wales *********

Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford Humphrey (VII) de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford ( 1276 – 16 March 1322) was a member of a powerful Anglo-Norman family of the Welsh Marches and was one of the Ordainers who opposed Edward II's excesses. Family background Humphrey de Bohun's ...

, 3rd Earl of Essex (Humphrey VII, 1276–1321/2), one of the Ordainers who opposed Edward II's excesses **********

Eleanor de Bohun, Countess of Ormonde Eleanor de Bohun, Countess of Ormond (17 October 1304 – 7 October 1363) was an English noblewoman born in Knaresborough Castle to Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward I of Eng ...

(1304–1363) **********

John de Bohun, 5th Earl of Hereford John de Bohun, 5th Earl of Hereford (23 November 1306 – 20 January 1336) was born in St Clement's, Oxford to Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, a daughter of Edward I of England. After his father's deat ...

, 4th Earl of Essex (1306–1336) **********

Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Hereford Humphrey (VIII) de Bohun, 6th Earl of Hereford, 5th Earl of Essex (6 December 1309 – 15 October 1361) of Pleshy Castle in Essex, was hereditary Constable of England. He distinguished himself as a captain in the Breton campaigns of the Hundred ...

, 5th Earl of Essex (Humphrey VIII, 1309–1361), Lord High Constable of England **********

Margaret de Bohun, Countess of Devon Margaret de Bohun, Countess of Devon (3 April 1311 – 16 December 1391) was the daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, Lord High Constable of England and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. She was the wife of Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd/10 ...

(1311–1391) **********

William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, Order of the Garter, KG (c. 1312 – 16 September 1360) was an English nobleman and military commander. Lineage William was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhu ...

, KG (c. 1312 – 1360); English nobleman and military commander at the Battle of Crécy ***********

Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Northampton, Order of the Garter, KG (25 March 1342 – 16 January 1373) was the son of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, and Elizabeth de Badlesmere, and grandson o ...

, 6th Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Northampton (Humphrey IX, 1342–1373), an English noble during the reign of King Edward III ************

Eleanor de Bohun Eleanor de Bohun ( – 3 October 1399) was the elder daughter and co-heiress (with her sister, Mary de Bohun), of Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford (1341–1373) and Joan Fitzalan, a daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel an ...

(c. 1366 – 1399); elder daughter and co-heiress ************

Mary de Bohun Mary de Bohun (c. 1369/70 – 4 June 1394) was the first wife of Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Northampton, who after her death became King Henry IV. As she died before her husband came to the throne, Mary was never queen. She and Henry had six ch ...

(c. 1368 – 1394); younger daughter, the first wife of King Henry IV of England and mother of King Henry V ***********

Elizabeth de Bohun Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

, Countess of Arundel and Surrey (c. 1350 – 1385) ********

Henry de Bohun Sir Henry de Bohun (died 23 June 1314) was an English knight, of Anglo-Norman origins, the grandson of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of Bannockburn by Robert the Bruce. Riding in the vang ...

(d. 1314), English knight killed by Robert I of Scotland at Bannockburn.

References

{{reflist English families