Thomas de Courtenay, 5th Earl of Devon
Encyclopedia
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
. In August of the same year, as a teenager, he was amongst a noble
entourage of 300 who attended Henry VI
's coronation at Paris
. Only a quarter of the nobility, impliedly the elite
, left England
to attend upon the new king of England
and France
. Devon had already been knight
ed at Henry VI's Westminster
coronation on 5 November 1429.
was summoned, as tradition required, on the death of a monarch
; Henry V
's will
being read to the Lords assembled. Devon was granted livery
to enter his lands without needing proof on 20/1 February, 1433, for a fine of privilege amounting to 1000 marks. On 1 May 1424, his estates were delivered into the hands of his uncle, John, Lord Talbot
, and his mother the Dowager
Countess Anne (d. 1441) during the minority in exchange for 700 marks pa. It was the practice to purchase a licence for patronage
from the Crown to marry Royal Wards to compensate for its duration of stewardship
. The Crown and Duke Humphrey of Gloucester's retinue
had established a commission to examine the profitability of wardships in the southwest.
The new earl found the political situation in Devonshire increasingly stacked against his own interests as a coalition of the greater gentry
, focused on Sir William Bonville
and the earl’s cousin, Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham, who threatened the Courtenays’ traditional dominance of the county. Despite links via his wife, Margaret Beaufort
, to the ascendant ‘court party’ dominated by Cardinal Beaufort and John Beaufort, 1st earl of Somerset and Marquess of Dorset by Margaret Holland
, daughter of the Earl of Kent
, Courtenay failed to rectify his situation and instead resorted to violence, beginning in 1439. With the decline of Beaufort power, Courtenay became increasingly associated with Richard, duke of York
Anne Talbot her brother, John Talbot
. along with a series of local gentlemen and lawyers, were given the keepings and maintenance of Courtenay's estates, parks and castles. The dowager countess received her dower third, including the primary Courtenay residence at Tiverton Castle
, while a group of the dead earl’s intimates were enfeoffed with another considerable group of estates to satisfy his debts and the terms of his will. It seems that their combined stewardship was far from satisfactory, as the government noted that his estates were ruinous and his deer park
s so dilapidated that he was permitted to hunt in royal parks. This may have been for his part in Sir Thomas Rempston
's expedition into Normandy
the previous winter where they garrisoned the town of St. James-de-Beuvron. The Chronicler de Beaucourt
remarked that the French
were routed by an enemy twenty times its inferior in numbers. It became known as the route of St James. The unexpected victory, led Jean V, the King of France to submit to Henry VI at Paris the following summer, after Suffolk had led a campaign to capture Rennes
and overrun Brittany
. Meanwhile the Earl of Suffolk
held the bishop
ric town of Avranches
.
. However, his mother’s longevity
meant that her dower portion and the other Courtenay estates which had been estranged under his father’s will were not in his hands – Courtenay himself was forced to live at Colcombe (near Colyton
) as his mother had possession of Tiverton Castle. His income of £1500 pa was not considered rich with nobles of comparable rank. But the restoration of comital rank, had in 1355 meant the return of the Honours of Plympton
and Okehampton
, the most valuable of the estates. In addition the Coker
estates in Somerset
had brought a royal manor
with reversions, increasing contact with the Court.
This was partly compensated for by his advantageous marriage to Margaret Beaufort
with the links to the ‘court party’ which this brought – Courtenay began to serve on Westcountry commissions and was granted an annuity of 100 pounds for his services. One of these grants, however, brought to the surface tensions which may have been lingering for some time. Bonville's estates were being seriously attacked by the summer 1439. The pirate-soldier
, Sir Hugh Courtenay, a cousin looted merchant vessel
s along the coast, and led brigands with Thomas Carminow, after a long dispute with the Earldom. The Court despatched a Privy Councillor, Sir John Stourton
to extract a promise of good behavior from Devon, who was reluctant to attend London
.
In 1441, Courtenay was appointed as Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall
, a nearly identical post as Royal Steward for Cornwall
which had been granted to Sir William Bonville in 1437, for life. A week later in May 1441, the warrant was retracted. Disputes arose between the two which contemporary records portray as reaching the status of a private war. Two men wearing Devon livery attacked Sir Philip Chetwynd, a friend of Bonville, on the road to London. Apparent evidence that the Council's arbitration of November 1440 had failed.
These events were complicated by Bonville's second marriage in 1430 to Elisabeth Courtenay (d.1471), daughter of 11th earl of Devon. Courtenay and Bonville were summoned before the King in December 1441, and were publicly reconciled. Tensions remained however and this may have been a factor in the crown’s requests to both Courtenay, who initially refused, and Bonville to serve in France – Bonville as seneschal
of Gascony
from 1442-6 and Courtenay at Pont-l'Évêque
in Normandy in 1446. This is one of the few times that Courtenay served abroad, for he had refused in March 1443, seemingly preferring to spend his time bolstering his position in Devon or at court. While Bonville was abroad, the King released Devon from his debts, including the recognisance for good behaviour, probably remitted by the influence of father-in-law, John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset.
1445 marked a fleeting high point in Courtenay’s fortunes, with his appointment as High Steward of England at Queen Margaret’s coronation on 25 May. Only the year before, March 1444, Bonville had identified himself with Suffolk, at Margaret's bethrothal in Rouen.
The death of Cardinal Beaufort (d. 1447) seriously weakened that house's cause at court. Courtenay felt sufficiently confident to challenge the titular supremacy and precedence of the earl of Arundel
which would lead to acute embarrassment when his case was rejected in 1446. But fortified from his distance of the reputed murder of Duke Humphrey and Lord Say's plot to assassinate the King on 20 July 1447. This may have prompted Devon to oppose the 'Court party', serve with his friend the duke of York
during the Cade Rebellion. In addition Bonville, determined to wrest parliamentary patronage from the Courtenay interest, had been raised to the peerage as Baron
Bonville of Chewton Mendip
. Devon switched allegiance to York, who with Norfolk
took control briefly of London. He remained loyal to York during the Parliament of November 1450, when they invoked the support of the Commons to raise taxation. Having rescued Somerset from an angry London mob
, York himself had to flee, taking refuge on the Earl of Devon's barge
rowing down the Thames.
, in 1444, and Cardinal Beaufort in 1447 removed Beaufort leadership of the ‘court’ party, leaving William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
as the most influential figure in national politics While there is no evidence of direct antagonism between Courtenay and Suffolk, Sir William Bonville enjoyed links with de la Pole, marrying his daughter to William Tailboys, one of Suffolk’s closest associates. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this was Bonville’s elevation to the peerage as Baron Bonville
of Chewton Mendip in 1449. As such, it is hardly surprising that Devon began to become associated with Richard, duke of York
, who had assumed the leadership of the ‘opposition’. The parlous state of national politics (whether the king was a vindictive factionalist or an inane non-entity is largely irrelevant in this context) combined with what seems like a reckless and violent element in Courtenay’s own character, leading to a campaign of violence against Bonville and the Suffolk-aligned Earl of Wiltshire. Courtenay and his troops attempted to capture Wiltshire near Bath before returning to besiege Bonville in Taunton Castle. The arrival of the duke of York (whether to suppress or aid the disturbances is uncertain) caused the two sides to make peace which, unsurprisingly, had no real meaning. York then embarked on his abortive attempt to take control of royal government by force, his only allies being Courtenay and his sometime-associate, Lord Cobham
.
, which was besieged. The duke of York arrived to lift the siege and imprison Bonville. But the new Baron was quickly released. York's and Courtenay's humiliation by Henry VI and Suffolk at the Dartford meeting in 1452, led to the confirmation of Bonville as Constable
of Exeter Castle, marking a low ebb in Devon's fortunes: the biggest threat to his position as the premier noble and landowner in the county. This exploit ended with the disgrace of all three 'Yorkists' forced to submit to royal mercy in March. The King had issued an arrest warrant on 24 September 1451, drafted by Somerset, to be enforced by Wiltshire and Bonville. The risings prompted commissions for Buckingham and Bonville on 14 February 1452. A direct summons without delay was ordered by Royal Proclamation on 17 February to bring Devon and Lord Cobham to London. Two days later, demonstrations were held by Devon's army at Yeovil
and Ilminster
, converging with York's on London.
Courtenay was charged with treason
and briefly imprisoned in Wallingford Castle
, before appearing in the Lords. His disgrace and political isolation allowed his Devonshire rivals to consolidate their position, further undermining his decreased standing in the county. Bonville acquired all royal commission
s in the south-west.
This was, however, the end of Courtenay’s links with York, whose increasingly tight links with the Neville earls of Salisbury
and Warwick
led to an alignment with Bonville rather than the earl. This culminated in the marriage of Bonville’s grandson
to Salisbury’s daughter, Katherine. Devon did not endear himself to Somerset either Courtenay and his sons repeatedly disrupted the sessions of the peace in Exeter across 1454/5, which did not assist Protector Somerset in portraying himself as the guardian of law and order. Courtenay was present at the First Battle of St Albans
, and was wounded. Indeed, York still considered him at least neutral as the duke’s letters sent to the king on the eve of battle were delivered to Courtenay and thence to the king. Perhaps inspired by the way the Nevilles and York had ended their respective feuds with the Percies
and the duke of Somerset in the battle, Courtenay returned to Devon and commenced a campaign of violence against Lord Bonville and his allies, who were now attached to Warwick's affinity.
The violence began in October 1455 with the horrific murder of Nicholas Radford, an eminent local barrister, recorder of the city of Exeter and one of Bonville’s councilors. Several contemporary accounts record this and the ensuing mock-funeral and coronary inquest (accompanied by the singing of highly inappropriate songs) in tones which suggest shock and horror, even with the blunted sensitivities of the fifteenth century. Among the murderers was Thomas Courtenay
, the earl’s son and later successor. Parliament, meeting in November, reported 800 horsemen and 4,000 infantry running amok across Devonshire. On the 3rd November, Devon, his sons, Thomas Carrew of Ashwater and a considerable force of 1000 men occupied the city of Exeter, which they continued to control until 23 December. Not before he had warned the populace that Bonville was approaching with a "great multitude" to sack the city. On 3 November Bonville's men from Shute Manor had looted the earl's house at Colcomb, promising Sir Philip Courtenay his support. Dozens of men violated consecrated ground: Radford’s valuables were extracted from the cathedral. Radford's house in Exeter was also robbed. Village adherents with Bonville connections were assaulted by Devon's men. Powderham Castle, home to the earl’s estranged cousin, Sir Philip Courtenay (d.1463), an ally of Bonville, was besieged on the 15th November, the earl’s weaponry now including a serpentine
. Bonville attempted to relieve the castle but was repulsed as Devon threatened to batter down its walls. Finally, battle was joined directly between Bonville and Courtenay at Clyst Bridge, just south east of Exeter on 15 December 1455. While it seems that Bonville was put to flight, the number of dead or wounded is entirely unknown. Two days later Thomas Carrew with 500 of Devon's retainers pillaged Shute, seizing a bounty of looted goods. Courtenay and his men left Exeter on 21 December and shortly afterwards submitted to York at Shaftesbury. Early in December the King dismissed Devon from the Commission of Peace, and citizens of Exeter instructed not to help his army of "misrule" in anyway.
who had taken personal control of the court. Despite being banned from entering leading armed men into Exeter and holding assemblies, 500 men under John Courtenay entered the High Street
on 8 April 1456. Local rivals, Philip Courtenay and Lord Fitzwarin were prevented from exercising commission as JP
s, forced to leave the city. Wiltshire, Bonville's patron and Sir John Fortescue, Chief Justice
arrived with a large entourage to investigate a commission of oyer et terminer. They rejected Devon's petition to have Bonville's sheriff
removed. Two years later his sons, Thomas and Henry were absolved of the murder of Nicholas Radford.
Devon was restored to the Bench of JPs and made Keeper of the Park in February 1457 and of the Forest of Clarendon
on 17 July 1457. He then received a summons to appear with York before the King in London. Travelling to the meeting, maybe to be held at Windsor Castle, he stopped at Abingdon
. Thomas Courtenay died at the Abbey of Abingdon on 3 February 1458. Historians have postulated that he may have been poisoned by the Prior. The Earl wanted to be buried in the chantry
of Exeter Cathedral
.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Thomas, who was beheaded as a Lancastrian
after the Battle of Towton
, the earldom being forfeit by act of Attainder
. The Earl's will was granted probate
at Lambeth
on 21 February 1458. An inquest took place in 1467
On the national stage, Courtenay became increasingly alienated from his former ally, York, and instead cultivated links with Queen Margaret
. This new alliance was sealed by the marriage of Courtenay’s son and heir, Sir Thomas, to the Queen’s kinswoman, Marie, the daughter of Charles, Count of Maine. As such, it seems unlikely that Courtenay’s death in 1458 was the result of poisoning ordered by the Queen as one contemporary commentator asserted.
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...
, 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
Duke of Exeter
The title Duke of Exeter was created several times in England in the later Middle Ages, when Exeter was the main town of Devon. It was first created for John Holland, the half-brother of King Richard II in 1397. That title was rescinded upon Henry IV's accession to the throne two years later, and...
. In August of the same year, as a teenager, he was amongst a noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
entourage of 300 who attended Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
's coronation at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Only a quarter of the nobility, impliedly the elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
, left England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to attend upon the new king of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Devon had already been knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed at Henry VI's Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
coronation on 5 November 1429.
Minority and Wardship
ParliamentParliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
was summoned, as tradition required, on the death of a monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
; Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
's will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
being read to the Lords assembled. Devon was granted livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
to enter his lands without needing proof on 20/1 February, 1433, for a fine of privilege amounting to 1000 marks. On 1 May 1424, his estates were delivered into the hands of his uncle, John, Lord Talbot
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and 1st Earl of Waterford KG , known as "Old Talbot" was an important English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, as well as the only Lancastrian Constable of France.-Origins:He was descended from Richard Talbot, a tenant in 1086 of Walter Giffard...
, and his mother the Dowager
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
Countess Anne (d. 1441) during the minority in exchange for 700 marks pa. It was the practice to purchase a licence for patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
from the Crown to marry Royal Wards to compensate for its duration of stewardship
Stewardship
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of resources. The concept of stewardship has been applied in diverse realms, including with respect to environment, economics, health, property, information, and religion, and is linked to the concept of sustainability...
. The Crown and Duke Humphrey of Gloucester's retinue
Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage, a suite of "retainers".-Etymology:...
had established a commission to examine the profitability of wardships in the southwest.
The new earl found the political situation in Devonshire increasingly stacked against his own interests as a coalition of the greater gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
, focused on Sir William Bonville
Baron Bonville
The title of Baron Bonville was created once in the Peerage of England. On 23 September 1449, William Bonville was summoned to Parliament. On his death in 1461, the barony was inherited by his great-granddaughter Cecily Bonville, who two months before succeeded as Baroness Harington, with which...
and the earl’s cousin, Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham, who threatened the Courtenays’ traditional dominance of the county. Despite links via his wife, 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...
, to the ascendant ‘court party’ dominated by Cardinal Beaufort and John Beaufort, 1st earl of Somerset and Marquess of Dorset by Margaret Holland
Margaret Holland
Margaret Holland, Countess of Somerset was the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, who was the son of Joan "the Fair Maid of Kent"...
, daughter of the Earl of Kent
Earl of Kent
The peerage title Earl of Kent has been created eight times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.See also Kingdom of Kent, Duke of Kent.-Earls of Kent, first creation :*Godwin, Earl of Wessex...
, Courtenay failed to rectify his situation and instead resorted to violence, beginning in 1439. With the decline of Beaufort power, Courtenay became increasingly associated with Richard, duke of York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...
Anne Talbot her brother, John Talbot
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and 1st Earl of Waterford KG , known as "Old Talbot" was an important English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, as well as the only Lancastrian Constable of France.-Origins:He was descended from Richard Talbot, a tenant in 1086 of Walter Giffard...
. along with a series of local gentlemen and lawyers, were given the keepings and maintenance of Courtenay's estates, parks and castles. The dowager countess received her dower third, including the primary Courtenay residence at Tiverton Castle
Tiverton Castle
Tiverton Castle is the remains of a Castle with a later manor house within its grounds that stands on a cliffside above the banks of the River Exe at Tiverton in Devon, England....
, while a group of the dead earl’s intimates were enfeoffed with another considerable group of estates to satisfy his debts and the terms of his will. It seems that their combined stewardship was far from satisfactory, as the government noted that his estates were ruinous and his deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
s so dilapidated that he was permitted to hunt in royal parks. This may have been for his part in Sir Thomas Rempston
Thomas Rempston
Sir Thomas Rempston KG ,was Constable of the Tower and an MP.He was born the son of John Rempston at Rempstone, Nottinghamshire, where the family had long been settled....
's expedition into Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
the previous winter where they garrisoned the town of St. James-de-Beuvron. The Chronicler de Beaucourt
Beaucourt
Beaucourt is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France."Beaucourt Revisited" is a war poem by A.P. Herbert.-References:*...
remarked that the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
were routed by an enemy twenty times its inferior in numbers. It became known as the route of St James. The unexpected victory, led Jean V, the King of France to submit to Henry VI at Paris the following summer, after Suffolk had led a campaign to capture Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
and overrun Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. Meanwhile the Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074...
held the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
ric town of Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
.
The 1430s and 40s
Courtenay was given leave to enter his estates in 1433 and, based on his family’s history and his own position as leading landowner of the county, probably expected to take his place as the leader of regional societySociety
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
. However, his mother’s longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
meant that her dower portion and the other Courtenay estates which had been estranged under his father’s will were not in his hands – Courtenay himself was forced to live at Colcombe (near Colyton
Colyton, Devon
Colyton is a small town in Devon, England. It is located within the East Devon local authority area. It is 3 miles away from Seaton and 6 miles away from Axminster. Its population in 1991 was 2,783.-History:...
) as his mother had possession of Tiverton Castle. His income of £1500 pa was not considered rich with nobles of comparable rank. But the restoration of comital rank, had in 1355 meant the return of the Honours of Plympton
Plympton
Plympton, or Plympton Maurice or Plympton St Maurice or Plympton St Mary or Plympton Erle, in south-western Devon, England is an ancient stannary town: an important trading centre in the past for locally mined tin, and a former seaport...
and Okehampton
Okehampton
Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
, the most valuable of the estates. In addition the Coker
East Coker
East Coker is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. Its nearest town is Yeovil, which is situated two miles north from the village. The village has a population of 1,781...
estates in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
had brought a royal manor
Royal Manor
A royal manor is an area of land in the United Kingdom owned by the Crown, such as the Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales, a Duke/Duchess, or a Lord. One such example is the Isle of Portland in Dorset....
with reversions, increasing contact with the Court.
This was partly compensated for by his advantageous marriage to 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...
with the links to the ‘court party’ which this brought – Courtenay began to serve on Westcountry commissions and was granted an annuity of 100 pounds for his services. One of these grants, however, brought to the surface tensions which may have been lingering for some time. Bonville's estates were being seriously attacked by the summer 1439. The pirate-soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, Sir Hugh Courtenay, a cousin looted merchant vessel
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
s along the coast, and led brigands with Thomas Carminow, after a long dispute with the Earldom. The Court despatched a Privy Councillor, Sir John Stourton
John Stourton, 1st Baron Stourton
John Stourton, 1st Baron Stourton was an English soldier and politician.-Life:He was born at Witham Friary, Somerset, the son of Sir William de Stourton , Speaker of the House of Commons, and Elizabeth Moigne.Stourton served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1426, 1433 and 1437, Somerset and Dorset...
to extract a promise of good behavior from Devon, who was reluctant to attend London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 1441, Courtenay was appointed as Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
, a nearly identical post as Royal Steward for Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
which had been granted to Sir William Bonville in 1437, for life. A week later in May 1441, the warrant was retracted. Disputes arose between the two which contemporary records portray as reaching the status of a private war. Two men wearing Devon livery attacked Sir Philip Chetwynd, a friend of Bonville, on the road to London. Apparent evidence that the Council's arbitration of November 1440 had failed.
These events were complicated by Bonville's second marriage in 1430 to Elisabeth Courtenay (d.1471), daughter of 11th earl of Devon. Courtenay and Bonville were summoned before the King in December 1441, and were publicly reconciled. Tensions remained however and this may have been a factor in the crown’s requests to both Courtenay, who initially refused, and Bonville to serve in France – Bonville as seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
from 1442-6 and Courtenay at Pont-l'Évêque
Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados
Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It has given its name to a type of soft cheese .-Population:-Transport:* A13 autoroute* A132 autoroute...
in Normandy in 1446. This is one of the few times that Courtenay served abroad, for he had refused in March 1443, seemingly preferring to spend his time bolstering his position in Devon or at court. While Bonville was abroad, the King released Devon from his debts, including the recognisance for good behaviour, probably remitted by the influence of father-in-law, John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset.
1445 marked a fleeting high point in Courtenay’s fortunes, with his appointment as High Steward of England at Queen Margaret’s coronation on 25 May. Only the year before, March 1444, Bonville had identified himself with Suffolk, at Margaret's bethrothal in Rouen.
The death of Cardinal Beaufort (d. 1447) seriously weakened that house's cause at court. Courtenay felt sufficiently confident to challenge the titular supremacy and precedence of the earl of Arundel
Earl of Arundel
The title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138 for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny...
which would lead to acute embarrassment when his case was rejected in 1446. But fortified from his distance of the reputed murder of Duke Humphrey and Lord Say's plot to assassinate the King on 20 July 1447. This may have prompted Devon to oppose the 'Court party', serve with his friend the duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
during the Cade Rebellion. In addition Bonville, determined to wrest parliamentary patronage from the Courtenay interest, had been raised to the peerage as Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Bonville of Chewton Mendip
Chewton Mendip
Chewton Mendip is a village and civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. It is situated north of Wells, south of Bristol on the Mendip Hills and is the source of the River Chew. The parish includes the hamlet of Bathway.- History :...
. Devon switched allegiance to York, who with Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
took control briefly of London. He remained loyal to York during the Parliament of November 1450, when they invoked the support of the Commons to raise taxation. Having rescued Somerset from an angry London mob
MOB
Mob may refer to:* A crowd Mob may refer to:* A crowd Mob may refer to:* A crowd (of people, from Latin mobile vulgus "fickle commoners":*An angry mob; see Ochlocracy*A criminal gang*In American English, organized crime; slang for Mafia or American Mafia*Mobbing, human bullying behaviour...
, York himself had to flee, taking refuge on the Earl of Devon's barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
rowing down the Thames.
Courtenay and York
The deaths of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, KG was an English noble and military commander.-Family:Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd Earl of...
, in 1444, and Cardinal Beaufort in 1447 removed Beaufort leadership of the ‘court’ party, leaving William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, KG , nicknamed Jack Napes , was an important English soldier and commander in the Hundred Years' War, and later Lord Chamberlain of England.He also appears prominently in William Shakespeare's Henry VI, part 1 and Henry VI, part 2 and other...
as the most influential figure in national politics While there is no evidence of direct antagonism between Courtenay and Suffolk, Sir William Bonville enjoyed links with de la Pole, marrying his daughter to William Tailboys, one of Suffolk’s closest associates. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this was Bonville’s elevation to the peerage as Baron Bonville
Baron Bonville
The title of Baron Bonville was created once in the Peerage of England. On 23 September 1449, William Bonville was summoned to Parliament. On his death in 1461, the barony was inherited by his great-granddaughter Cecily Bonville, who two months before succeeded as Baroness Harington, with which...
of Chewton Mendip in 1449. As such, it is hardly surprising that Devon began to become associated with Richard, duke of York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...
, who had assumed the leadership of the ‘opposition’. The parlous state of national politics (whether the king was a vindictive factionalist or an inane non-entity is largely irrelevant in this context) combined with what seems like a reckless and violent element in Courtenay’s own character, leading to a campaign of violence against Bonville and the Suffolk-aligned Earl of Wiltshire. Courtenay and his troops attempted to capture Wiltshire near Bath before returning to besiege Bonville in Taunton Castle. The arrival of the duke of York (whether to suppress or aid the disturbances is uncertain) caused the two sides to make peace which, unsurprisingly, had no real meaning. York then embarked on his abortive attempt to take control of royal government by force, his only allies being Courtenay and his sometime-associate, Lord Cobham
Edward Brooke, 6th Baron Cobham
Edward Brooke, 6th Baron Cobham was a late medieval aristocrat.His parents were Sir Thomas Brooke and Joan Braybroke, 5th Baroness Cobham....
.
York's attempted coup
In the westcountry Devon hounded Bonville into the ground; chasing the enemy into Taunton CastleTaunton Castle
Taunton Castle is a castle built to defend the town of Taunton, Somerset, England.It has origins in the Anglo Saxon period and was later the site of a priory. The Normans then built a stone structured castle, which belonged to the Bishops of Winchester...
, which was besieged. The duke of York arrived to lift the siege and imprison Bonville. But the new Baron was quickly released. York's and Courtenay's humiliation by Henry VI and Suffolk at the Dartford meeting in 1452, led to the confirmation of Bonville as Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of Exeter Castle, marking a low ebb in Devon's fortunes: the biggest threat to his position as the premier noble and landowner in the county. This exploit ended with the disgrace of all three 'Yorkists' forced to submit to royal mercy in March. The King had issued an arrest warrant on 24 September 1451, drafted by Somerset, to be enforced by Wiltshire and Bonville. The risings prompted commissions for Buckingham and Bonville on 14 February 1452. A direct summons without delay was ordered by Royal Proclamation on 17 February to bring Devon and Lord Cobham to London. Two days later, demonstrations were held by Devon's army at Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
and Ilminster
Ilminster
Ilminster is a country town and civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4,781. Bypassed a few years ago, the town now lies just east of the intersection of the A303 and the A358...
, converging with York's on London.
Courtenay was charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and briefly imprisoned in Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle was a major medieval castle situated in Wallingford in the English county of Oxfordshire , adjacent to the River Thames...
, before appearing in the Lords. His disgrace and political isolation allowed his Devonshire rivals to consolidate their position, further undermining his decreased standing in the county. Bonville acquired all royal commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
s in the south-west.
The Courtenay adherents
The King’s madness and York’s appointment as Protector in 1453/4 resulted in a partial rally in Courtenay’s fortunes, including re-appointment to the commissions of the peace in the south-western counties, the key barometer of the local balance of power. He was a member of the Council until April 1454. Devon was bound over to keep the peace with a fine of 1000 marks, but ignored its restrictions. Threatened by the Council on 3 June, he was forced on 24 July to make a new bond.This was, however, the end of Courtenay’s links with York, whose increasingly tight links with the Neville earls of Salisbury
Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury and 7th and 4th Baron Montacute, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Background:...
and Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...
led to an alignment with Bonville rather than the earl. This culminated in the marriage of Bonville’s grandson
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington was an English nobleman who was a loyal adherent of the House of York during the dynastic conflict in England in the 15th century known as the Wars of the Roses...
to Salisbury’s daughter, Katherine. Devon did not endear himself to Somerset either Courtenay and his sons repeatedly disrupted the sessions of the peace in Exeter across 1454/5, which did not assist Protector Somerset in portraying himself as the guardian of law and order. Courtenay was present at the First Battle of St Albans
First Battle of St Albans
The First Battle of St Albans, fought on 22 May 1455 at St Albans, 22 miles north of London, traditionally marks the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was killed...
, and was wounded. Indeed, York still considered him at least neutral as the duke’s letters sent to the king on the eve of battle were delivered to Courtenay and thence to the king. Perhaps inspired by the way the Nevilles and York had ended their respective feuds with the Percies
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland was an English nobleman and military commander in the lead up to the Wars of the Roses. He was the son of Henry "Hotspur" Percy, and the grandson of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland...
and the duke of Somerset in the battle, Courtenay returned to Devon and commenced a campaign of violence against Lord Bonville and his allies, who were now attached to Warwick's affinity.
The violence began in October 1455 with the horrific murder of Nicholas Radford, an eminent local barrister, recorder of the city of Exeter and one of Bonville’s councilors. Several contemporary accounts record this and the ensuing mock-funeral and coronary inquest (accompanied by the singing of highly inappropriate songs) in tones which suggest shock and horror, even with the blunted sensitivities of the fifteenth century. Among the murderers was Thomas Courtenay
Thomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of Devon
Sir Thomas Courtenay, 6th Earl of Devon 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....
, the earl’s son and later successor. Parliament, meeting in November, reported 800 horsemen and 4,000 infantry running amok across Devonshire. On the 3rd November, Devon, his sons, Thomas Carrew of Ashwater and a considerable force of 1000 men occupied the city of Exeter, which they continued to control until 23 December. Not before he had warned the populace that Bonville was approaching with a "great multitude" to sack the city. On 3 November Bonville's men from Shute Manor had looted the earl's house at Colcomb, promising Sir Philip Courtenay his support. Dozens of men violated consecrated ground: Radford’s valuables were extracted from the cathedral. Radford's house in Exeter was also robbed. Village adherents with Bonville connections were assaulted by Devon's men. Powderham Castle, home to the earl’s estranged cousin, Sir Philip Courtenay (d.1463), an ally of Bonville, was besieged on the 15th November, the earl’s weaponry now including a serpentine
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
. Bonville attempted to relieve the castle but was repulsed as Devon threatened to batter down its walls. Finally, battle was joined directly between Bonville and Courtenay at Clyst Bridge, just south east of Exeter on 15 December 1455. While it seems that Bonville was put to flight, the number of dead or wounded is entirely unknown. Two days later Thomas Carrew with 500 of Devon's retainers pillaged Shute, seizing a bounty of looted goods. Courtenay and his men left Exeter on 21 December and shortly afterwards submitted to York at Shaftesbury. Early in December the King dismissed Devon from the Commission of Peace, and citizens of Exeter instructed not to help his army of "misrule" in anyway.
Devon: Yorkist or Lancastrian
Devon was incarcerated in the Tower. Originally, the government planned to bring him to trial for treason but this was abandoned once the King returned to his senses in February 1456, and York removed as Protector. Devon was also returned to the commission of the peace for Devonshire-–this is seemingly the work of Queen Margaret of AnjouMargaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
who had taken personal control of the court. Despite being banned from entering leading armed men into Exeter and holding assemblies, 500 men under John Courtenay entered the High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
on 8 April 1456. Local rivals, Philip Courtenay and Lord Fitzwarin were prevented from exercising commission as JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
s, forced to leave the city. Wiltshire, Bonville's patron and Sir John Fortescue, Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
arrived with a large entourage to investigate a commission of oyer et terminer. They rejected Devon's petition to have Bonville's sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
removed. Two years later his sons, Thomas and Henry were absolved of the murder of Nicholas Radford.
Devon was restored to the Bench of JPs and made Keeper of the Park in February 1457 and of the Forest of Clarendon
Clarendon
-Places:In Australia:*Clarendon, New South Wales, a suburb of northern west Sydney*Clarendon, Queensland*Clarendon, South Australia*Clarendon, Tasmania, a National Trust property near Evandale, Tasmania*Clarendon County, New South WalesIn Canada:...
on 17 July 1457. He then received a summons to appear with York before the King in London. Travelling to the meeting, maybe to be held at Windsor Castle, he stopped at Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
. Thomas Courtenay died at the Abbey of Abingdon on 3 February 1458. Historians have postulated that he may have been poisoned by the Prior. The Earl wanted to be buried in the chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
of Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Thomas, who was beheaded as a Lancastrian
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...
after the Battle of 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...
, the earldom being forfeit by act of Attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
. The Earl's will was granted probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
at Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
on 21 February 1458. An inquest took place in 1467
On the national stage, Courtenay became increasingly alienated from his former ally, York, and instead cultivated links with Queen Margaret
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
. This new alliance was sealed by the marriage of Courtenay’s son and heir, Sir Thomas, to the Queen’s kinswoman, Marie, the daughter of Charles, Count of Maine. As such, it seems unlikely that Courtenay’s death in 1458 was the result of poisoning ordered by the Queen as one contemporary commentator asserted.
Children
- Thomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of DevonThomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of DevonSir Thomas Courtenay, 6th Earl of Devon 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....
(1432 - 3 April 1461, beheaded after the Battle of Towton.) - John Courtenay, 15th Earl of DevonJohn Courtenay, 15th Earl of DevonJohn Courtenay was a son of Thomas de Courtenay, 13th Earl of Devon and Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Devon.He was the younger brother of Thomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of Devon. It was his brother who knighted him on 29 December 1460 after the Battle of Wakefield...
(1435 - 4 May 1471, beheaded after the Battle of Tewkesbury.) - Sir Henry Courtenay (d.17 Jan 1469, beheaded for treason at Salisbury in the market place.)
- Joan Courtenay, (b.1447), married Sir Roger Clifford, beheaded after Bosworth, 1485. She married secondly, Sir William Knyvet of Buckenham.
- Elizabeth Courtenay, (b.1449), married Sir Hugh Conway.
- Eleanor
- Ann
- Matilda
Selected reading
- Bellamy, J. G., The Law of Treason in England in the Later Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1970).
- Bellamy, J. G., Crime and Public Order in England in the Later Middle Ages (1973).
- Carpenter, Christine Wars of the Roses: Politics and Constitution in England, 1437-1509, (CUP, 1997).
- Cherry, M. 'The Courtenay earls of Devon: the formation and disintegration of a late medieval aristocratic affinity', Southern History; 1 (1979), 71-97.
- Cherry, M., 'The Struggle for power in Mid-fifteenth century Devonshire', cited in Griffiths, Patronage, 123-44.
- Cokayne, G. E., ed., Complete Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland; revised edition, (London 1937).
- Griffiths, R. A. The Reign of Henry VI, (Sutton, 1998).
- Griffiths, R. A., "The King's Council and the First Protectorate of the Duke of York, 1453-1454", EHR, 99 (1984), 67-81.
- Griffiths, R. A., 'Duke Richard of York's intentions in 1450 and the origin of the Wars of the Roses', Journal of Medieval History, 1 (1975), 187-209.
- Griffiths, R. A., ed. 'Patronage, The Crown and the Provinces in Later Medieval England', (Gloucester, 1981).
- Jacob, E. F., 'The Fifteenth Century, 1399-1485', Oxford History of England, (Clarendon Press, reprint 1988)
- Kleineke, Hannes 'The Kynges Cite: Exeter in the Wars of the Roses' in L. Clark ed., The Fifteenth Century VII: Conflicts, Consequences and the Crown in the Late Middle Ages (Woodbridge, 2007).
- McFarlane, K. B. The Nobility of Later Medieval England (OUP, 1973).
- Myers, A. E, ed., English Historical Documents 1327-1485 (1969)
- Ross, Charles, The Wars of the Roses, (Thames and Hudson, 1986).
- Seward, Desmond, The Wars of the Roses; and the lives of five men and women in the fifteenth century. London: Constable, 1995
- Storey, R. L. The End of the House of Lancaster (Sutton, 2nd ed. 1999).
- Sumption, Jonathan The Hundred Years War, 2 vols., vol.I: Trial by Battle, vol.II: Trial by Fire (Faber, 1999).
- Tuck, Anthony Crown and Nobility: England 1272-1461: political conflict in late medieval England 2nd ed. (Blackwell, 1999).
- Virgoe, R., 'The Composition of the King's Council', BIHR, 43 (1970), 134-60.
- Watts, J. L. Henry VI and the Politics of Kingship (Cambridge, 1996).