Young was born as the oldest son of Dimitri Young, 10th Earl of North Hollow, in the second half of the 19th Century PD. (HH1) As a cadet at the Royal Manticoran Naval Academy on Saganami Island, Young was known as a womanizer, and forced himself on fellow cadet Honor Harrington, but was badly beaten up by her in self defense. Due to Harrington's failure to fully disclose the cause of the incident (caused by her embarrassment and shame), Young was not discharged from the service, despite the severity of his actions. However, his father's connections did not prevent him from receiving an official reprimand for "conduct unbecoming," and, more humiliatingly, being forced to apologize to Harrington in front of Commandant Hartley. (HH1, HH3, OBS)