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. Courtenay died without issue on 20 February 1374 during the lifetime of his grandfather,
Hugh Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon, and the earldom descended to Courtenay's cousin,
Edward de Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon. ==Marriages==