Adventures in Genealogy

Eleanor de Bohun, Countess of Ormonde
My 20th Great Grandmother

Born: 17 October 1304

Died: 7 October 1363

Father: Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford

Mother: Elizabeth of Rhuddlan

First Husband: 
James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond
Children: John Butler (died in childhood); Petronilla Butler, Baroness Talbot; James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond

Second Husband: Thomas de Dagworth
Children: Eleanor de Dagworth

William De Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG
My 20th Great Grandfather

Born: 
1312
Died: 16 September 1360

Father: 
Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford
Mother: Elizabeth of Rhuddlan

Wife:
 Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Children: Humphrey de Bohun; Elizabeth de Bohun

Elizabeth de Badlesmere, Countess of Northampton
My 20th Great Grandmother

Born: 
1313 in Castle Badlesmere, Kent, England
Died: 8 June 1356 in London, England
Buried: Black Friars Priory

Father: 
Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere
Mother: Margaret de Clare

First Husband: Sir Edmund Mortimer
Children: Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March; John Mortimer (died in childhood)

Second Husband: William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG
Children: Humphrey de Bohun, Elizabeth de Bohun

Elizabeth de Badlesmere was married to her first husband Sir Edmund Mortimer when she was three years old, in what was essentially a real estate contract between Elizabeth’s father Bartholomew, and Sir Edmund’s father Roger Mortimer, future consort of Queen Isabella.

At age eight, Elizabeth spent a year with her mother and siblings as prisoners in the Tower of London.

Although her marriage was not consummated for many years, Elizabeth’s first child was born when she was just fifteen years old.

When Roger Mortimer was hanged for assuming royal powers, his estates were forfeited to the crown and therefore his son Edmund did not inherit the earldom. Edmund died a year later, and Elizabeth was left with a few estates in the Welsh Marches.

Three years after her first husband’s death, Elizabeth married William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton. Their marriage was arranged as an attempt to make peace between the Mortimer and Bohun families – although ironically in spite of this feud, Elizabeth’s first and second husbands were third cousins, both having been descended from Enguerrand de Fiennes, which meant that Elizabeth and William first had to solicit a papal dispensation for their marriage.

Elizabeth de Badlesmere died on 8 June 1356, at age 43. She was buried in Black Friars Priory, London.

Joan FitzAlan, Countess of Hereford, Countess of Essex, Countess of Northampton
My 19th Great Grandmother

Born: 
1347, Arundel Castle, Sussex, England
Died: 7 April 1419

Father: Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel

Mother: Eleanor of Lancaster

Husband: Humphrey de Bohun

Children: Eleanor de Bohun, Mary de Bohun, Elizabeth (died in childhood)

Humphrey De Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 2nd Earl of Northampton, KG
My 19th Great Grandfather

Born: 
25 March 1341
Died: 16 January 1373

Father: William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
Mother: Elizabeth de Badlesmere

Wife: Joan FitzAlan
Children: Eleanor de Bohun, Mary de Bohun, Elizabeth (died in childhood)

Eleanor De Louvaine
My 18th Great Grandmother

Born: 
27 Mar 1345 in Little Easton, Essex, England
Died: 5 Oct 1397 in Little Easton, Essex, England

Father: 
Sir John de Louvaine
Mother: unknown

Husband: 
Sir William Bourchier
Children: Sir William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu

Eleanor De Louvaine was the daughter and heiress of Sir John de Louvaine, feudal baron in Essex.

Sir William Bourchier
My 18th Great Grandfather

Born: 
1330 in Halstead, Essex, England
Died: 1375 in Little Easton, Essex, England

Father: Sir 
Robert Bourchier, 1st Baron Bourchier
Mother: Margaret Prayers

Wife:
 Eleanor de Louvaine
Children: Sir William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu

Eleanor De Bohun
My 18th Great Grandmother

Born: 1366
Died: 3 October 1399
Buried: Westminster Abbey

Father: Humphrey De Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford
Mother: Joan FitzAlan, Countess of Hereford
Siblings: Mary de Bohun

Husband: Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Children: Ann of Gloucester, Countess of Stafford