Hugh de Courtenay, 1st/9th Earl of Devon

Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon (M)

b. circa 1276, d. 23 December 1340,

Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon was born circa 1276. He was the son of Hugh Courtenay and Eleanor Despenser. Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon married Agnes St. John, daughter of John St. John Governor of Aquitaine and Alice Fitzpiers, circa 1292. Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon died on 23 December 1340.

    Children of Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon and Agnes St. John:

Margaret Courtenay d. 2 Aug 1385
Hugh Courtenay Earl of Devon+ b. 12 Jul 1303, d. 2 May 1377

Hugh was Earl of Devon, Lord Courtenay

Hugh de Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon (1276-1340) (cousin; declared Earl 1335)

Hugh de Courtenay was probably born in 1275. His parents were Sir Hugh de Courtenay of Okehampton and Eleanor le Despenser, daughter of Lord Hugh le Despenser, the significant advisers to King Edward II. He was grandson of John de Courtenay of Okehampton by Isabel de Vere, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Oxford. John's father Robert had married Mary, the youngest daughter of William de Redvers, who had died in 1293. According to the Complete Peerage Hugh became 9th Earl of Devon through the maternal line on extinction of the de Redvers inheritance.

On 28 Feb 1292, about the time of his marriage, Hugh succeeded to the Okehampton estate and to those de Reviers estates that had not yet been alienated to the Crown. He may have been styled Earl of Devon, the first of the Courtenay family, although was not recognised in the de facto Earldom until 1333. He did homage to Edward I on 20 June 1297 and was granted his own livery stable. At the time the King was with his army crossing the Tweed into Scotland. It is probable that the honour was in acknowledgement of Hugh's military achievements. That July the English defeated and humiliated the Scots at Irvine. However the following year the tables were turned on the advent of the remarkable campaign of William Wallace.

The following February, 1298 he was summoned as a Lord in Parliament. He remained an important noble at Parliaments into the reign of Edward III. He was summoned as Hugoni de Curtenay with the specious suffix of senior being known as Lord Courtenay.

Courtenay joined King Edward at the long siege of Caerlaverock Castle, just over the Solway Firth for a fortnight in July 1300. He proved himself a fine soldier and loyal adherent to the English crown. He had not been present at the disastrous encounter outside Stirling Castle in 1298, during which half the English contingent were killed, including commander Hugh Cressingham. But Edward was determined to march into Ayrshire to devastate Robert Bruce's estates. Unfortunately the English army melted away into the forests as the army moved further northwards. Courtenay may have been with the English King when he sat down in Sweetheart Abbey to receive Winchelsea, Archbishop of Canterbury who had travelled north with a demanding missive from Pope Boniface to cease hostilities. The King could not ignore this order. In September he disbanded troops and withdrew over the Solway Firth to Carlisle. The campaign had failed due to a shortage of money, so Parliament was recalled for January 1301. Before returning to London the English drew up a six months truce.

Parliament met at Lincoln. The agenda included redrafting the Royal Forest Charter, which had no precedent since it was first introduced in the reign of Henry II, 150 years earlier. Local juries were expected to "perambulate the forests" to gather evidence. But the King needed money and was required by Parliament to surrender his absolute authority and ownership of what became community forests.

In 1306 the Prince of Wales was despatched into Scotland; the vanguard led by Aymer de Valence, the King's cousin. On 22 May, Courtenay was knighted by the Prince, presumably for his efforts against the Scots. In June the English occupied Perth. On 19 June, Valence, who had cut a swathe through the Lowlands fell on the Scots army at Methven in the early dawn. The Bruce fled into the hills. Edward I was merciless as many prisoners were punished. That autumn the army returned to Hexham. The war was all but over: there were however sieges at Mull of Kintyre and Kildrummy Castle, Aberdeenshire. Edward I committed many atrocities rounding up the Scots aristocracy and their women.

Then as Robert Bruce returned from exile in Ireland the English army started losing battles. The ailing King had one last campaign in which Courtenay played a major part. Struggling into the saddle to the Solway Firth, Edward I died at Burgh-on-Sands awaiting a crossing. In 1308 a new campaign was sent to quell Robert the Bruce, and Courtenay was made a knight banneret, one of the King's elite household.

During the reign of Edward II he was made a Lord Ordainer, one of the ruling council in the Lords. He was appointed to the King's Council on 9 Aug 1318. He was appointed the Warden of the coast of Devon and Cornwall in 1324 and then again in 1336, because his estates stretched across what is now Exmoor and Dartmoor. But he took the honours reluctantly and played a guarded game with King and Parliament. A veteran campaigner he aimed to ingratiate himself with the young Edward III, and so refused the Third Penny from the Exchequer. He was investigated; and on 22 Feb 1335 elevated to the Earldom of Devon, restored to his ancestral line.

The styling of Hugh is often confused. He was the 9th Earl, but the first in the Courtenay creation. He died at Cowick near Exeter on 23 dec 1340, and was buried there on 5 Feb 1341. It is possible that his body lay in state for royal visitors to come to pay respects to a great soldier and statesman because his honours and titles were confirmed by Parliamentary writ on 3 Jan 1340/1.

He married Agnes de St John, daughter of John St John of Basing, Hampshire by Alice, daughter of Reynold FitzPiers. They had six children

(Wikipedia)

Sir Hugh de Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon1

M, #9221, b. circa 1276, d. 23 December 1340

Last Edited=7 Apr 2008

    Sir Hugh de Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon was born circa 1276.1 He was the son of Sir Hugh de Courtenay and Eleanor le Despencer.1 He was born on 12 July 1303 at Okehampton, Devon, England.2 He married Agnes de St. John, daughter of John de St. John and Alice FitzPiers, in 1292.1 He died on 23 December 1340.1

In 1292 he inherited the Okehampton estates from his father.1 In 1293 he inherited the unalienated portions of the Reviers estate, also from his father.1 He was created 1st Lord Courtenay [England by writ] on 6 February 1298/99.1 He fought in the Siege of Carlaverock in 1300.1 He was invested as a Knight in 1306.1 He was invested as a Knight Banneret in 1308.1 He held the office of a Lord Ordainer in 1313.1 He held the office of Warden of Devon and Cornwall Coast in 1324.1 He was created 1st Earl of Devon [England] on 22 February 1334/35.1 He held the office of Warden of Devon and Cornwall Coast in 1336.1
Children of Sir Hugh de Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Agnes de St. John

Sir Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon+ b. 12 Jul 1303, d. 2 May 13771

Elizabeth Courtney+ b. 1333, d. 7 Aug 13952

Citations

[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1122. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

[S1916] Tim Boyle, "re: Boyle Family," e-mail message from <e-mail address> (unknown address) to Darryl Roger Lundy, 16 September 2006. Hereinafter cited as "re: Boyle Family".

Name: Hugh de Courtenay

Prefix: Sir

Given Name: Hugh

Surname: de Courtenay

Suffix: 1st Earl of Devon

Sex: M

_UID: A8122AFA5118D811BE490080C8C142CC4E8B

Change Date: 6 Nov 2004

Birth: 14 SEP 1275 in Okehampton, Devonshire, England

Death: 23 DEC 1340

Father: Hugh de Courtenay b: BET 1248 AND 1250

Mother: Eleanor de Spencer b: ABT 1252

Marriage 1 Agnes de St. John b: ABT 1279

Children

Hugh de Courtenay b: 12 JUL 1303

Thomas de Courtenay b: ABT 1318

Hugh, Baron of Okehampton, distinguished himself in the Scottish wars during the reign of Edward I and was knighted by the King at Westminster as one of 300 persons of eminence.

In the reign of Edward II, he was created a Knight-banneret. He was summoned to Parliament many times during the reign of Edward III, under the name of Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, being restored to that title in the right of his great grandmother, Mary de Redvers [Colonial and Revolutionary Lineages of America, Vol. 1, p. 318].

Hugh distinguished himself in the Scottish wars during the reign of Edward I and was knighted by the King at Westminster as one of 300 persons of eminence.

In the reign of Edward II, he was created a Knight-banneret. He was summoned to Parliament many times durin the reign of Edward III, under the name of Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, being restored to that title in the right of his great grandmother, Mary de Redvers [Colonial and Revolutionary Lineages of America, Vol. 1, p. 318].

Earl of Devon.

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/AF/individual_record.asp?rec...

From Medlands:

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISH%20NOBILITY%20MEDIEVAL1.htm#...

HUGH de Courtenay, son of Sir HUGH de Courtenay of Okehampton, Devon & his wife Eleanor le Despencer ([1275]-23 Dec 1340, bur Cowick, near Exeter). The Fundationis et Fundatorum Historia of Ford Abbey names “Hugonem secundum” as son of “Hugonem de Courtnay primum” & his wife[472]. He succeeded his father in 1292 at Okehampton. He was summoned to parliament 6 Feb 1299, whereby he is held to have become Lord Courtenay. He was declared Earl of Devon 22 Feb 1335.

m (1292) AGNES de St John, daughter of Sir JOHN de St John of Basing, Hampshire & his wife Alice FitzPiers ([1274/75]-Tiverton 11 Jun 1345, bur 27 Jun 1345 Cowick, near Exeter). The Fundationis et Fundatorum Historia of Ford Abbey records that ”dominus Hugo secundus” married “dominæ Agnetæ sorori sororii sui domini Johannis de St. John” when she was 17 years old[473]. The Fundationis et Fundatorum Historia of Ford Abbey records the death “1340 die Dominica in festo sanctæ Trinitatis et sancti Barnabæ Apostoli…apud Tiverton” of “domina Agneta de Courtnay comitissa Devoniæ” and her burial “apud Cowick prope Exon.”[474].

Hugh & his wife had six children

'Sir Hugh de Courtenay (12 July 1303 – 2 May 1377) was the 2nd Earl of Devon in England , born probably in Devon. His parents were Hugh , the 1st Courtenay Earl of Devon by Agnes de St John, daughter of Sir John St John of Basing. He was destined to become a great soldier in the Hundred years war in service of King Edward III. On 11 August 1327, still only 23 years old he was made knight banneret , and joined the elite group of knights who protected the King's body. He was made a founding and 12th Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1348 on its investiture at Windsor Castle . Courtenay fought with the heroes of Crecy on 26 August 1346 in the famous of the encounters in France. The victory formed the basis for Courtenay's inclusion as a Knight of the Garter in 1348, by personal invitation of the King himself

Hugh, a badly behaved fellow, was self-important and puffed up. In 1335 The King granted his wish to be elevated to the earldom of Devon. No sooner he was bragging to the peasant folk in Devonshire that he was the only font of justice Courtenay was summoned to Parliament on the assumption of Edward III to full authority over the usurper Roger Mortimer

The Manor of Powderham was mentioned in the Domesday Book. It came into the Courtenay family in the dowry of Margaret de Bohun on her marriage to Hugh de Courtenay, son of the first Courtenay Earl of Devon in 1325. The Courtenays had come from France in the reign of Henry II and had acquired considerable lands and power in the South West by judicious marriages to wealthy heiresses. They had castles at Okehampton, Plympton and Colcolme near Colyton. Margaret bore her lord eight sons and nine daughters, and from this marriage descends all the subsequent Courtenay Earls of Devon. She outlived him for a number of years, and left Powderham to her sixth son, Philip, in her Will.