The Bohuns hold the castle and honour of Trowbridge in west Wiltshire, which came to them by marriage with Edward of Salisbury's daughter, and the hereditary office of constable of England, which came through the earls of Hereford.
Henry de Bohun, now 23 or 24, is closely tied to the Scottish and Breton royal houses and to the justiciar, and is about to be made earl of Hereford. His Welsh-border lands (Caldicot and the Hereford claims) are in the Wales researcher's ground.
Who he is
- Name
- Henry de Bohun
- Title
- Lord of Trowbridge, hereditary constable of England
- Since
- 1181 (as a child, on the death of his father Humphrey)
- Born
- 1176
- Family
- Son of Humphrey de Bohun (died 1181) and Margaret of Huntingdon, sister of William the Lion and widow of Conan IV of Brittany: so Henry is the nephew of the king of Scots and half-brother of Constance of Brittany, Arthur's mother. Heir through his grandmother Margaret of Hereford (died 1197) to part of the inheritance of Miles of Gloucester, earl of Hereford. His wife Maud is a daughter of the justiciar Geoffrey FitzPeter (marriage date not pinned).
- Confidence
- high
Not yet an earl on 1 January 1200: John makes him earl of Hereford on 28 April 1200.
Overlord
King John
What it holds
- Trowbridge castle and its honour in west Wiltshire
- The hereditary constableship of England
- Caldicot in Gwent and claims to part of the earldom of Hereford (Wales researcher)
How it was acquired
Humphrey de Bohun married Maud of Salisbury and so gained Trowbridge; his son Humphrey married Margaret of Hereford, bringing the constableship.
Allies and rivals
Kin of the Scottish king and of Arthur of Brittany through his mother; son-in-law of the justiciar. Neighbours: the earl of Salisbury, the Hungerford country, the royal forests of Melksham and Selwood.
How things stand that morning
Held by Henry de Bohun; not yet earl.
Wealth
West Wiltshire wool and cloth country. No figures.
Military
Trowbridge castle (besieged by Stephen in 1139); the honour's knights.
Threats
- His Breton kinship could make him suspect if Arthur's cause revives
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 28 April 1200John girds Henry de Bohun as earl of Hereford.Depends on: John's favour and the justiciar's influence Stopped by: A quarrel with the king or suspicion over Arthur
Places of note
- Trowbridge castle: Caput
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Descent and kinship are well established; the extent of the Trowbridge honour is not drawn in detail.
On the map: Only the caput district is drawn.
Primary sources for England
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond, Jocelin of Brakelond (about 1198 to 1203). An inside account of Bury St Edmunds under Abbot Samson, written while the events were fresh. Read online
- Chronicle of Melrose, Anonymous (monks of Melrose abbey) (about 1173 to 1270, in many hands; the 1200 entries are near contemporary). The main Scottish annal for the year, kept at a Cistercian house on the Tweed. Read online
- Chronicle of Roger of Howden, Roger of Howden (about 1192 to 1201). The fullest single narrative for the year. Read online
- Chronicle of the Princes, Anonymous (Welsh translation of a lost Latin chronicle kept at Strata Florida) (Latin original to about 1282, compiled from contemporary annals; Welsh versions about 1300 and later). The native Welsh record of the year. Read online
- Chronicle; Deeds of the Kings, Gervase of Canterbury (Chronica about 1188 to 1199; Gesta Regum about 1199 to 1210). The Chronica stops in 1199, so for 1200 the witness is the briefer Gesta Regum, which notes John's peace with Philip, the coronation of Isabella at Westminster on 8 October 1200, and matters touching Canterbury: the archbishop Hubert Walter as chancellor, the cathedral priory's quarrel with him, and the Lambeth college dispute lately settled by the pope. Read online
- English Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall, Ralph of Coggeshall (about 1200 to 1224, in stages). Short but independent entries for 1200 from a Cistercian house in Essex: John's levy on the Cistercians and the carucage, the peace with Philip, the king's new marriage and the queen's coronation, and the death of Hugh of Lincoln. Read online
- Flowers of History, Roger of Wendover (about 1220 to 1235 at St Albans). For 1200 Wendover is mostly Howden rewritten, so he is a second witness only where he adds St Albans material: a long account of Hugh of Lincoln's last months, death and funeral, and anecdotes about John's conduct toward the Cistercians and his new queen. Read online
- Images of History, Ralph de Diceto (about 1188 to 1202). A London view of the year from the dean of St Paul's, who knew the justiciar and the bishops personally. Read online
22 more in the sources library for The British Isles.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.