William II Courtenay (1451-1512)

Arms of Courtenay of Powderham: Or, three torteaux a label azure

Sir William II Courtenay (1451-1512) of Powderham in Devon, was a Lancastrian loyal to Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII (1485-1509).

Origins

Courtenay was the eldest son and heir of Sir William I Courtenay (1428-1485) of Powderham, Sheriff of Devon in 1483,^[1] by his wife Margaret Bonville, daughter of William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville (d.1461).

Marriage & progeny

In about 1476 he married Cecily Cheney, daughter of Sir John Cheney of Pinhoe,^[2] by whom he had progeny including:

Sons

• Sir William III Courtenay (1477–1535) "The Great",^[3] eldest son and heir, MP for Devon in 1529, Sheriff of Devon 1522, 1525-6, 1533-4; Esquire of the Body to King Henry VIII, whom he accompanied to the Field of the Cloth of Gold.^[4]
• Sir James I Courtenay (1479-1529) of Upcott in the parish of Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon.
• Piers Courtenay (1481-2 Oct 1508)
• Edward Courtenay

Daughters

• Elizabeth Courtenay (b.1483)
• Anne Courtenay (b.1485)
• Joan Courtenay
• Cecily Courtenay
• Eleanor Courtenay (b.1493)
• Margaret Courtenay
• another daughter.

Death

He died peaceably in November 1512.

Sources

• Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895

References

1. Vivian, p.246
2. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. Burke's Peerage Limited. 1848. pp. 301–.
3. Visitation of Devon, 1895 ed., p.246
4. Kirk, L.M. & Hawkyard A.D.K., Biography, published in History of Parliament, House of Commons 1509-1558, Bindoff S.T. (Ed.), 1982