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Sir John de Bonvillars (c. ?–1287) was a medieval Savoyard knight in the service of Edward I. He was the brother in law of
Sir John de Bonvillars (c. ?–1287) was a medieval Savoyard knight in the service of Edward I. He was the brother in law of Otto de Grandson
Otto de Grandson (c. 1238–1328), sometimes numbered Otto I to distinguish him from later members of his family with the same name, was the most prominent of the Savoyard knights in the service of King Edward I of England, to whom he was the cl ...
, and like William de Cicon
Sir William de Cicon
Guillaume de Cicon appears in the English archives variously as; Cykun, Cycons, Chycun, Sicoms, Sicun, Sycun.
From Vanclans, 24 kilometres north of Pontarlier in the Jura. Introduced to King Edwards service by Otto de Gr ...
, had been introduced to English service by Otto.
From Bonvillars in Savoy
Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps.
Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south.
Savo ...
, now the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland, close to Grandson Castle, he was brother-in-law to Otto de Grandson. Knight of King Edward I's household and deputy Welsh Justicier to Otto de Grandson from 1284 to 1287. On 2 April 1277 he was bearer of a letter to Otto de Grandson who was besieging Dolforwyn Castle
Dolforwyn Castle ( cy, Castell Dolforwyn) is a Welsh medieval castle above the village of Abermule, Powys. The fortification was established by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Gwynedd in the late 13th century. It is sited on a wooded ridge comm ...
. Was at Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
in September 1277. Revisited Savoy in 1278, was at Evian
Evian ( , ; , stylized as evian) is a French company that bottles and commercialises mineral water from several sources near Évian-les-Bains, on the south shore of Lake Geneva. It produces over 2 billion plastic bottles per year.
Today, Evia ...
on 22 March 1279. With Otto in Wales in 1282 when latter was commanding forces based on Montgomery. In 1283 was sent to Wales, in 1284 he was described as Otto de Grandson's Knight Companion.
Bonvillars oversaw the construction of Conwy Castle. First Constable of Harlech Castle from 1285 to his death by drowning (probably during siege of Dryslwyn
Dryslwyn Castle ( cy, Castell y Drysllwyn) is a native Welsh castle, sited on a rocky hill roughly halfway between Llandeilo and Carmarthen in Wales. It stands on high ground overlooking the Tywi Valley with extensive views. It was built in about ...
in South Wales) between July and November 1287. Married to Agnes de Bevillard (likely sister of Otto de Grandson) who held on to the Constable of Harlech role until succeeded by James of Saint George
Master James of Saint George (–1309; French: , Old French: Mestre Jaks, Latin: Magister Jacobus de Sancto Georgio) was a master of works/architect from Savoy, described by historian Marc Morris as "one of the greatest architects of the European ...
in 1290.Taylor, A.J. (1963). "Some notes on the Savoyards in North Wales, 1277-1300. With special reference to the Savoyard element in the construction of Harlech Castle". Genava, Vol. 11., pp. 289-315.
References
{{Reflist 1287 deaths Savoyards in Thirteenth Century England