Hugh Courtenay

Hugh Courtenay (c.1345 – 20 February 1374) was an English soldier and heir apparent to the earldom of Devon. Career Hugh Courtenay was born about 1345, the only child of Sir Hugh Courtenay (22 March 1327 – after Easter term 1348) and Elizabeth de Vere. He was the grandson of Hugh Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon (12 July 1303 – 2 May 1377), and became heir apparent to the earldom of Devon after the death of his father in 1348. Through his grandmother, Margaret de Bohun (3 April 1311 – 16 December 1391), he was a descendant of King Edward I. Courtenay took part in the intervention in the Castilian civil war by Edward, the Black Prince, and was knighted by the Prince at Vitoria in 1367, together with King Peter of Castile, Courtenay's brother-in-law, Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, and Courtenay's uncles, Peter Courtenay and Philip Courtenay. He also distinguished himself at the Battle of Nájera on 3 April 1367. On 8 January 1371 he was summoned to Parliament by writ directed to Hugoni de Courteney le fitz, whereby he is held to have become Baron Courtenay.