Richard Courtenay

Richard Courtenay
Richard Courtenay
Bishop of Norwich
Appointed	June 1413
Term ended	September 1415
Predecessor	Alexander Tottington
Successor	John Wakering
Other post(s)	Dean of St Asaph; Dean of Wells
Orders
Consecration	17 September 1413
Personal details
Died	c. 15 September 1415; Harfleur, France
Buried	Westminster Abbey
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle
Alma mater	Exeter College, Oxford

Richard Courtenay (died 15 September 1415) was an English prelate and university chancellor,^[1] who served as Bishop of Norwich from 1413 to 1415.

Life

Courtenay was a son of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle near Exeter, and a grandson of Hugh de Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon (died 1377). He was a nephew of William Courtenay, archbishop of Canterbury, and a descendant of King Edward I of England.^[2] From an early age he was renowned for his intellect and personal beauty. He was nicknamed "the flower of Devon".^[3]

Educated at Exeter College, Oxford, Courtenay entered the church, where his advance was rapid. He held several prebends, was Dean of St Asaph and then Dean of Wells, and became Bishop of Norwich in June 1413,^[2] being consecrated on 17 September 1413.^[4]

As Chancellor of the University of Oxford,^[5] an office to which Courtenay was elected more than once, Courtenay asserted the independence of the university against Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1411; but the Archbishop, supported by King Henry IV and Antipope John XXIII, eventually triumphed.^[2]

Courtenay was a close friend of King Henry V both before and after he came to the throne; and in 1413, immediately after Henry's accession, he was made treasurer of the royal household. On two occasions he went on diplomatic errands to France, and he was also employed by Henry on public business at home. Having accompanied the king to Harfleur in August 1415, Courtenay succumbed to dysentery and died about 15 September 1415.^[4] The closeness of their attachment has led to speculation that Courtenay may have been the monarch’s homosexual lover.^[3]

Family

Another member of this family was Peter Courtenay (died 1492), a grandnephew of Richard. He also attained high position in the English Church.^[2]

Citations

^ Wood, Anthony (1790). "Fasti Oxonienses". The History and Antiquities of the Colleges and Halls in the University of Oxford. pp. 37, 39–40.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Chisholm 1911.
^ ^a ^b Shute, Joe (1 June 2017). "Was my ancestor King Henry V's gay lover?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 262
^ Hibbert, Christopher, ed. (1988). "Appendix 5: Chancellors of the University". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. Macmillan. pp. 521–522. ISBN 0-333-39917-X.

References

Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Courtenay, Richard". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Tout, Thomas Frederick (1887). "Courtenay, Richard" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
Davies, R. G. "Courtenay, Richard (c.1381–1415)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6455. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[wood-1] Wood, Anthony (1790). "Fasti Oxonienses". The History and Antiquities of the Colleges and Halls in the University of Oxford. pp. 37, 39–40.

[FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-2] Chisholm 1911.

[telegraph.co.uk-3] Shute, Joe (1 June 2017). "Was my ancestor King Henry V's gay lover?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

[Handbook262-4] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 262

[hibbert-5] Hibbert, Christopher, ed. (1988). "Appendix 5: Chancellors of the University". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. Macmillan. pp. 521–522. ISBN 0-333-39917-X.

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Diocese of St Asaph
St Asaph Cathedral Esgobty, St Asaph Diocesan Office, St Asaph
Office holders	Gregory Cameron, Bishop of St Asaph Nigel Williams, Dean of St Asaph Archdeacon of Wrexham (vacant) Andy Grimwood, Archdeacon of St Asaph Barry Wilson, Archdeacon of Montgomery
Historic offices	Bishop of Maenan (1928–1935)

Deans of Wells
High Medieval	Ivo Richard de Spakeston Alexander Leonius Ralph of Lechlade Peter of Chichester William of Merton John Saracenus Giles of Bridport Edward of Cnoll Thomas Bytton William Burnell Walter Haselshaw
Late Medieval	Henry Husee John Godelee Richard de Bury Wibert of Littleton Walter of London Thomas Fastolf John of Carleton Stephen Penpel John Fordham Thomas Thebaud Henry Beaufort Nicholas Slake Thomas Tuttebury Walter Medeford John Stafford John Forest Nicholas Carent William Witham John Gunthorpe
Early modern	William Cosyn Thomas Wynter Richard Woleman Thomas Cromwell William Fitzwilliam John Goodman William Turner Robert Weston Valentine Dale John Herbert Benjamin Heydon Richard Meredith Ralph Barlow George Warburton Walter Raleigh Robert Creighton Ralph Bathurst William Grahme Matthew Brailsford Isaac Maddox John Harris Samuel Creswicke Lord Francis Seymour
Late modern	George Lukin Hon. Henry Ryder Edmund Goodenough Richard Jenkyns George Johnson Edward Plumptre Thomas Jex-Blake Armitage Robinson Richard Malden Frederic Harton Christopher Woodforde Irven Edwards Patrick Mitchell Richard Lewis John Clarke John Davies Toby Wright

Deans of St Asaph
Medieval	Llywelyn ap Madog William Spridlington Hugh Holbeche John Blodwell David Blodwell John Tapton
Early modern	Fouke Salisbury Richard Puskyn John Gruffith Maurice Blayne John Lloyd Hugh Evans Thomas Banks Andrew Morris David Lloyd Humphrey Lloyd Nicholas Stratford George Bright Daniel Price William Stanley William Powell William Herring William Shipley
Late modern	William Shipley Charles Luxmoore Armitage James John Owen Watkin Williams Shadrach Pryce Llewelyn Wynne Jones John Du Buisson Spencer Ellis Harold Charles Raymond Renowden Kerry Goulstone Chris Potter Nigel Williams

Bishops of Norwich
Bishops of Elmham	Bedwinus Northbertus Headulacus Æthelfrith Eanfrith Æthelwulf Alherdus Sybba Hunferthus Humbertus See interrupted Aethelweald Eadwulf Ælfric I Theodred I Theodred II Æthelstan Ælfgar Ælfwine Ælfric II Ælfric III Stigand Grimketel Stigand (again) Æthelmær Herfast see removed to Thetford
Bishops of Thetford	Herfast William de Beaufeu Herbert de Losinga see removed to Norwich
High Medieval	Herbert de Losinga Everard of Calne William de Turbeville John of Oxford John de Gray Pandulf Verraccio Thomas Blunville Simon of Elmham William de Raley Walter Suffield Simon Walton Roger Skerning William Middleton Ralph Walpole
Late Medieval	John Salmon Robert Baldock William Ayermin Thomas Hemenhale Antony Bek William Bateman Thomas Percy Henry le Despenser Alexander Tottington John Wakering William Alnwick Thomas Brunce Walter Hart James Goldwell Thomas Jane
Early modern	Richard Nykke William Rugg Thomas Thirlby John Hopton John Parkhurst Edmund Freke Edmund Scambler William Redman John Jegon John Overall Samuel Harsnett Francis White Richard Corbet Matthew Wren Richard Montagu Joseph Hall Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Edward Reynolds Anthony Sparrow William Lloyd John Moore Charles Trimnell Thomas Green John Leng William Baker Robert Butts Thomas Gooch Samuel Lisle Thomas Hayter Philip Yonge Lewis Bagot George Horne Charles Manners-Sutton
Late modern	Henry Bathurst Edward Stanley Samuel Hinds John Pelham John Sheepshanks Bertram Pollock Percy Herbert Launcelot Fleming Maurice Wood Peter Nott Graham James Alan Winton (acting) Graham Usher