Third Creation, 1485
When the Lancastrian forces under Warwick prevailed, and arranged the readeption of Henry VI, the earlier attainders were reversed, and the earldom of Devon was restored to John Courtenay, brother of Thomas, the 14th Earl. When the Yorkists again prevailed in the following year, Edward IV had the legislation of Henry VI's second reign cancelled, and all John Courtenay's honours were forfeited. A few weeks later, on 4 May 1471, he died fighting on the losing side at the Battle of Tewkesbury, leaving no issue. According to Cokayne, 'on his death the representation of the ancient Earls of Devon (of the family of Reviers from whom the Courtenays had inherited it) and of the Barony of Courtenay (created by the writ of 1299) fell into abeyance between his sisters or their descendants, subject to the attainder of (1461) 1 Edward IV, which revived on that King's re-accession 14 April 1471.
Sir Edward Courtenay, great-nephew of the 11th Earl, fought on the winning side at Bosworth on 22 August 1485, and two months later the new King, Henry VII, by patent dated 16 October 1485, created Edward Courtenay Earl of Devon or Devonshire, with the usual remainder to the heirs male of his body. As the son and heir of Sir Hugh Courtenay (died between May 1471 and August 1472), Sir Edward Courtenay was the heir male of his family, his father, Sir Hugh Courtenay, being the son and heir of Sir Hugh Courtenay, younger brother of Edward, the 11th Earl, mentioned above. He died 28 May 1509, at which time the earldom was forfeited by the attainder in 1504 of his son and heir, William Courtenay.
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