Hugh Courtenay was born about 1345, the only child of Sir Hugh Courtenay (22 March 1327 - after Easter term 1348) and Elizabeth de Vere.
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,[REF] 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.