Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon (1485 creation)

Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon KG (died 1509) was an English peer and member of the House of Lords.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Career 3 Marriage 4 Raised to Earldom of Devon 5 Death 6 Progeny 7 Note 8 References

Origins

He was the son of Sir Hugh Courtenay(d.1471) of Boconnoc, son of Sir Hugh Courtenay(d.1425) of Haccombe, younger brother of Edward Courtenay, 3rd Earl of Devon(d.1419).

Career

A loyalist of the House of Tudor, he fought alongside Henry VII at Bosworth and had been one of his original companions in France. There he went to pay homage to the future King of the Lancastrian affinity to which he adhered. Edward was particularly opposed to Richard III, and as such sought the patronage of Margaret Beaufort and her secret alliance with the Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville on the murder of the princes. Courtenay acted a courier over the Channel in the dark days of 1480's. He also met Marquess of Dorset, the alienated Yorkist, whose disaffected support left Richard dangerously exposed on the flank of his kingdom.

Marriage

He married Elizabeth Courtenay, daughter of Sir Philip Courtenay(b.1445) of Molland, 2nd son of Sir Philip Courtenay(d.1463) of Powderham by Elizabeth Hungerford, daughter of Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford(d.1449). Edward and Elizabeth his wife were thus distant cousins, sharing a common descent from Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon(d.1377).

Raised to Earldom of Devon

Following his death fighting for the Lancastrian cause at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 of his second cousin once removed John Courtenay, 7th Earl of Devon(d.1471), the earldom which had descended in a direct male line from Hugh de Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(d.1340), expired. Due to Edward's valuable support of the new King Henry VII, the latter created him Earl of Devon, under a new creation of 1485.

Death

Edward died in May 1509, and it might be only hours after his will was made on May 27, 1509. It was proved at Lambeth on July 15, 1509.

Progeny

• William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(d.1511), attainted 1504, imprisoned during the reign of Henry VII and released by Henry VIII but died before being formally restored to earldom. His son Henry Courtenay was restored in blood and honours and created Marquess of Exeter in 1525, but beheaded in 1539 for conspiring to place Reginald Pole upon the throne.^[1]
• Walter, d.s.p
• Maud married John Arundell of Traherne
• Elizabeth married John Trethurffe
• Florence married John Trelawney, jnr.

The Earl's inheritance was disputed and became a celebrated Peerage Case in 19th Century.^[2]

Note

The analysis in several documents deposited at Westcountry Studies library and the Devon History Centre, Exeter reveal how the bifurcation of the lineage caused the descendants of the female lines to claim patrimony. This was rejected for the existing Powderham line, despite this being the junior male inheritance.

References

Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Devon 1485–1509	Extinct

Persondata
Name	Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl Of Devon
Alternative names
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Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1509
Place of death