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William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, was born circa 1312 to Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276-1321) and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan (1282-1316) and died 16 September 1360 of unspecified causes. He married Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313-1356) 1355 JL .

Biography

Sir William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG

Arms of Sir William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG

William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG (c. 1312 – 16 September 1360) was an English nobleman and military commander.

Parentage

He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward. His maternal grandparents were Edward I of England and his first wife, Queen consort Eleanor of Castile.

Life

William de Bohun assisted at the arrest of Roger Mortimer in 1330, allowing Edward III to take power. After this, he was a trusted friend and commander of the king and he participated in the renewed wars with Scotland.[1]

In 1332, he received many new properties: Hinton and Spaine in Berkshire; Great Haseley, Ascott, Deddington, Pyrton and Kirtlington in Oxfordshire; Wincomb in Buckinghamshire; Longbenington in Lincolnshire; Kneesol in Nottinghamshire; Newnsham in Gloucestershire, Wix in Essex, and Bosham in Sussex.

In 1335, he married Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313 – 8 June 1356). Her parents Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere, and Margaret de Clare had both turned against Edward II the decade before. Elizabeth and William were granted some of the property of Elizabeth's first husband, who had also been Mortimer's son and heir.

William was created Earl of Northampton in 1337, one of the six earls created by Edward III to renew the ranks of the higher nobility. Since de Bohun was a younger son, and did not have an income suitable to his rank, he was given an annuity until suitable estates could be found.

In 1349 he became a Knight of the Garter. He served as High Sheriff of Rutland from 1349 until his death in 1360.[2]

Campaigns in Flanders, Brittany, Scotland, Sluys and Crecy

In 1339 he accompanied the King to Flanders. He served variously in Brittany and in Scotland, and was present at the great English victories at Sluys and Crécy, the latter as a commander. His most stunning feat was leading an English force to victory against a much bigger French force at the Battle of Morlaix in 1342. Some of the details are in dispute, but it is clear that he made good use of pit traps, which stopped the French cavalry.

Diplomat

In addition to being a warrior, William was also a renowned diplomat. He negotiated two treaties with France, one in 1343 and one in 1350. He was also charged with negotiating in Scotland for the freedom of King David Bruce, King of Scots, who was held prisoner by the English.

Senior naval command

From the 8 March 1352 to 5 March 1355 he was appointed Admiral of the Northern Seas, Fleet.

Family and Issue

  1. Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford (1341-1373), married Joan FitzAlan (1347-1419), sister of Richard.
  2. Elizabeth de Bohun (c1350-1385); married Richard FitzAlan, 4th Earl of Arundel, brother of Joan


Children


Offspring of William de Bohun and Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313-1356)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford (1341-1373) 25 March 1341 16 January 1373 Joan FitzAlan (1347-1419)
Elizabeth de Bohun (c1350-1385) 1350 Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom 3 April 1385 Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel (1346-1397)



Siblings


Offspring of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276-1321) and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan (1282-1316)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Hugh de Bohun (1303-1305)
Eleanor de Bohun (1304-1363) 17 October 1304 7 October 1363 James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormonde (c1305-1337)
Thomas Dagworth (?-1352)
Humphrey de Bohun (1305-1305)
John de Bohun, 5th Earl of Hereford (1306-1335) 23 November 1306 Pleshey Castle, Essex, England, United Kingdom 20 January 1336 Alice FitzAlan (1314-c1385)
Margaret Basset (-aft1347)
Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Hereford (c1309-1361) 6 December 1309 England 15 October 1361 England
Margaret de Bohun (1311-1391) 3 April 1311 Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales 16 December 1391 Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon (1303-1377)
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton (c1312-1360) 1312 16 September 1360 Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313-1356)
Edward de Bohun (1312-1334)
Eneas de Bohun (1314-aft1322)
Isabel de Bohun (1316-1316)


See Also


External Links


Notable Ancestors


Notable Descendants

Peerage Tables

Peerage of England
New creation Earl of Northampton Succeeded by
Humphrey de Bohun


Bibliography

  • Le Melletier, Jean (1978). Les Seigneurs de Bohun. pp. 6, 17, 43–44. 
  • Eales, Richard, ed (2003). Family and Dynasty in Late Medieval England. Shaun Tyas, Donington. pp. 152. 

References

  1. ^ Mortimer, Ian (2008). The Perfect King The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation. Vintage. pp. 138. 
  2. ^ Fuller, Thomas (1840). The history of the worthies of England, Volume 3 By Thomas Fuller. https://books.google.com/books?id=8TTnrToliwUC&pg=PA37. 


Footnotes (including sources)

‡ General
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