Earl of Devon - The Ancient Earldom

The Ancient Earldom

The first Earl of Devon was Baldwin de Redvers, son of Richard de Redvers, one of the principal supporters of Henry I. A few early documents suggest that Richard de Redvers was created the first Earl of Devon, and although in the past this caused disagreement over the numbering of the Devon earls, the point is now settled. Baldwin de Redvers was a great lord in Devon and the Isle of Wight, one of the first to rebel against King Stephen. He seized Exeter, and was a pirate out of Carisbrooke, but he was driven out of England to Anjou, where he joined the Empress Matilda. She made him Earl of Devon after she established herself in England, probably in early 1141.

Baldwin de Redvers, 1st Earl of Devon, was succeeded in turn by his son, Richard de Redvers, 2nd Earl of Devon, and grandson, Baldwin de Redvers, 3rd Earl of Devon, and the latter was succeeded by his brother, Richard de Redvers, 4th Earl of Devon, who died without issue.

The 5th Earl, William de Redvers was the third son of Baldwin, the 1st Earl. He had only two children who left issue. His son Baldwin died 1 September 1216 at the age of sixteen, leaving his wife Margaret pregnant with the 6th Earl. King John forced her to marry Falkes de Breauté, but she was rescued at the fall of Bedford Castle in 1224 and divorced from him, as having been in no true marriage. She is understandably, if mistakenly, called Countess of Devon in several records. The fifth Earl's youngest daughter, Mary de Redvers, known as 'de Vernon', was eventually sole heiress of the 1141 Earldom. She married firstly, Pierre de Preaux, and secondly, Robert de Courtenay of Okehampton.

The 6th Earl was succeeded by his son, Baldwin de Redvers, 7th Earl of Devon, who died in 1262, leaving no issue. His sister, Isabella de Fortibus, widow of William de Forz, 4th Earl of Albemarle, became Countess of Devon in her own right. Her children predeceased her; she had no grandchildren.

Her lands were inherited by her second cousin once removed, Hugh de Courtenay (1276-1340), great-grandson of Mary de Redvers and Robert de Courtenay of Okehampton mentioned above. He was summoned to Parliament in 1299 as Hugoni de Curtenay, 'wherein he is held to have become Lord Courtenay'. However forty-one years after the death of Isabel de Fortibus letters patent were issued on 22 February 1335 declaring him Earl of Devon, and stating that he 'should assume such title and style as his ancestors, Earls of Devon, had wont to do', by which he was confirmed as 9th Earl of Devon. Although some sources consider this a new grant rather than a confirmation, the wording of the grant indicates that the 9th Earl inherited the title. For the last years of his life he thus held two titles, 9th Earl of Devon, by reason of the 1335 letters patent, and 1st Lord Courtenay, the title by which he had been summoned to Parliament in the years prior to the 1335 letters patent.

The 9th Earl was succeeded by his son, Hugh de Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon. Three of the eight sons of the 10th Earl had descendants; another, William Courtenay, was Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor. Sir Hugh Courtenay, eldest son and heir of the 10th Earl, was one of the founding members of the Order of the Garter, but both he and his only son, Sir Hugh Courtenay (d. 20 February 1374), predeceased the 10th Earl. Sir Edward de Courtenay (d. 1368x1371), the third son, also predeceased his father, but left an eldest son, Edward Courtenay (d. 5 December 1419), who inherited as the 11th Earl. The 11th Earl's eldest son, Sir Edward Courtenay (died c. August 1418), married Eleanor Mortimer, daughter of Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, but predeceased his father, leaving no issue, and the 11th Earl's second son, Hugh Courtenay, became 12th Earl of Devon. The 12th Earl was succeeded by his son, Thomas Courtenay, 13th Earl of Devon.

The 13th Earl's son, Thomas Courtenay, 14th Earl of Devon, fought on the losing Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton, and was captured and beheaded, and all his honours forfeited by attainder.