Biography.guide
Home › People › Politician › John Courtenay
Portrait of John Courtenay

John Courtenay

1738 – 1816

Irish officer in the British Army and politician

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John Courtenay

Lived 1738 – 1816 (aged 77). John Courtenay was a British politician.

John Courtenay (22 August 1738 – 24 March 1816) was an Irish officer in the British Army who became a politician in England. He was a Whig member of Parliament (MP) at Westminster from 1780 to 1807, and again in 1812.

Courtenay was the second son of Henry Courtenay, a revenue officer from Newry, County Down in the Kingdom of Ireland. He was educated at Drogheda Grammar School. Edward Despard, a member of the London Corresponding Society and a United Irishman remained in prison for three years. In 1803 he was tried and executed for treason.

After the Acts of Union in 1800 he welcomed the new Irish MPs to the Commons, but protested the parliamentary oath of allegiance which continued to prevent members of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority from being seated in the House.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
Drogheda Grammar School
Positions held
Member of the 3rd Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 1st Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom

People in John Courtenay's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Courtenay's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Courtenay?

Irish officer in the British Army and politician (1738-1816)

When was John Courtenay born?

John Courtenay was born on 22 August 1738.

When did John Courtenay die?

John Courtenay died on 24 March 1816 in London.

What was John Courtenay's occupation?

John Courtenay was a politician.

What nationality was John Courtenay?

John Courtenay was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Courtenay

· Wikidata: Q4248911

· DBpedia: John Courtenay (1738–1816)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Courtenay. https://biography.guide/john-courtenay/

MLA: "John Courtenay." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-courtenay/.

Chicago: "John Courtenay." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-courtenay/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:26 UTC