Thomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of Devon
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Courtenay, 6th Earl of Devon (1432–1461) was the eldest son of Thomas de Courtenay, 5th Earl of Devon
by Margaret Beaufort
, the royal blooded daughter of John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset
and Margaret Holland, daughter of Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent
.
Thomas Courtenay was aged 26 years when his father died during the first phase of the Wars of the Roses
. On 19 December 1459 he was appointed Keeper of Exmoor
Forest, as his father had been before him. The Courtenay family held extensive lands throughout Devon
, and were one of the greatest landowners in the south-west, comparable only to the Paulet family; the later Earls of Winchester
. Thomas was a staunch adherent of the House of Lancaster
, as was the family tradition, until his father's feud with William Bonville. Thomas was a leading exponent of violent conflagration, leading the raid on the house at Upcott, and subsequent murder of the respected lawyer, Nicholas Radford. He took, with his brother, internecine warfare to new levels of brutality. His subsequent adherence to Queen Margaret's affinity was his undoing. Despite all he was appointed as Keeper of Exmoor Forest in 1459. Devon's decision was advised by his dislike of Bonville, who sought Warwick's patronage. He was fighting alongside John Beaufort in the northern army and was defeated at the "bloodiest battle on English soil" at Towton
, where he was taken prisoner.
He was beheaded on the orders of Edward IV
on 3 April 1461 at York
. He was attainted by Parliament
, in which document his family forfeited their earldom and barony of Courtenay and their possessions. His younger brother Henry was given the manor of Topsham
in Devon on 27 July 1461, in compensation for these forfeitures. Henry himself was executed in 1468.
Thomas de Courtenay, 5th Earl of Devon
Thomas Courtenay, 5th earl of Devon was born, presumably in Devonshire, in 1414. As the only surviving son of Hugh de Courtenay, 4th Earl of Devon, Courtenay inherited the earldom on his father’s death in 1422. He may have been a ward of the all-powerful Duke of Exeter...
by Margaret Beaufort
Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Devon
Margaret Beaufort was a daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland.She was a younger sister of Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset, John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, Thomas Beaufort, Count of Perche, Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland and Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of...
, the royal blooded daughter of John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Somerset and 1st Marquess of Dorset, later only 1st Earl of Somerset, KG was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
and Margaret Holland, daughter of Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent
Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent
Thomas Holland , 2nd Earl of Kent, 3rd Baron Holand KG was an English nobleman and a councillor of his half-brother, King Richard II of England.-Family and early Life:...
.
Thomas Courtenay was aged 26 years when his father died during the first phase of the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. On 19 December 1459 he was appointed Keeper of Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
Forest, as his father had been before him. The Courtenay family held extensive lands throughout Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and were one of the greatest landowners in the south-west, comparable only to the Paulet family; the later Earls of Winchester
Earl of Winchester
Earl of Winchester was a title that was created three times in the Peerage of England during the Middle Ages. The first was Saer de Quincy, who received the earldom in 1207/8 after his wife inherited half of the lands of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. This creation became extinct in 1265 upon the...
. Thomas was a staunch adherent of the House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, as was the family tradition, until his father's feud with William Bonville. Thomas was a leading exponent of violent conflagration, leading the raid on the house at Upcott, and subsequent murder of the respected lawyer, Nicholas Radford. He took, with his brother, internecine warfare to new levels of brutality. His subsequent adherence to Queen Margaret's affinity was his undoing. Despite all he was appointed as Keeper of Exmoor Forest in 1459. Devon's decision was advised by his dislike of Bonville, who sought Warwick's patronage. He was fighting alongside John Beaufort in the northern army and was defeated at the "bloodiest battle on English soil" at Towton
Battle of Towton
In 1461, England was in the sixth year of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. The Lancastrians backed the reigning King of England, Henry VI, an indecisive man who suffered bouts of madness...
, where he was taken prisoner.
He was beheaded on the orders of Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
on 3 April 1461 at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. He was attainted by Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
, in which document his family forfeited their earldom and barony of Courtenay and their possessions. His younger brother Henry was given the manor of Topsham
Topsham, Devon
Topsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe, immediately north of its confluence with the River Clyst and the former's estuary, between Exeter and Exmouth. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a...
in Devon on 27 July 1461, in compensation for these forfeitures. Henry himself was executed in 1468.