Margaret of Hereford

Margaret of Hereford (also Margaret de Bohun née Margaret of Gloucester, 1122/1123 – 6 April 1197) 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. Margaret held the office of Constable of England and as a widow, exercised lordship of Herefordshire until her own death. She was the benefactress of several religious institutions. Family Margaret was born in about 1122/1123, the eldest child of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford and Sibyl de Neufmarché, heiress to one of the most substantial fiefs in the Welsh Marches. She had five younger brothers and two sisters. These were: Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Walter de Hereford, Henry Fitzmiles, Mahel de Hereford, William de Hereford, Bertha of Hereford, and Lucy of Hereford. The Historia fundationis cum fundatoris genealogia of Abergavenny Priory named Margaretam, Bertram and Luciam as the three daughters of Miles and Sibyl. Marriage and issue She married Humphrey II de Bohun, an Anglo-Norman aristocrat and steward of King Henry I of England, on an unknown date before 1139. Like Margaret's father, Humphrey later supported Empress Matilda against her rival King Stephen during the period of civil war that raged over England, known to history as The Anarchy. Together, Margaret and her husband founded Farleigh Priory, although the charter is undated. The marriage produced a total of five children: Humphrey III de Bohun (died 1180), married as her second husband, Margaret of Huntingdon, Duchess of Brittany, by whom he had issue. He held the office of Constable of England. Milo de Bohun (died young) Richard de Bohun (died young) Matilda de Bohun (1140/1143 – after 1194/1199), married firstly Henry d'Oilly, by whom she had issue; secondly, Juhel de Mayenne; and thirdly, Walter FitzRobert. Margery de Bohun (died before 1196), married Waleran de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Warwick, although, Warwick's wife is alternatively named as Margery d'Oilly, who was her niece. The 1192 birthdate of his son and heir makes Margery d'Oilly the likely spouse. Lordship of Herefordshire and Constable of England Following the death of her father in a hunting accident in 1143, and sometime before Margaret's husband died in about 1165, all five of her brothers died without legitimate offspring.