A Brief History of the Gordons
With 157 main branches, the Gordon family traces it’s
lineage back to Adam de Gordon who settled in Berwickshire in the time of
Malcolm III, known as Malcolm Ceanmor, or his son, David I (1124-53). Chalmers in Caledonia appears
to be giving two versions of the family’s origin first being in the time of
Malcolm III or his son David I, with Adam being one of the favorites and
ridding the land of a particularly pesky boar (hence the boar’s heads on the
arms) and being given land in Berwickshire. The other version put forth has the
family coming during the reign of Malcolm IV or his brother William the Lion
and settling in the Berwickshire area called Gor dun meaning hill fort hence
the name of the family. There are many suppositions on the origin of the family
from the Gorduni tribe located in Flanders during the time of Julius Caesar; to
the Norman family de Guerdon (later spelled Gourdon); to the possibility of
Adam & Richard de Gordon being the sons of Ernulf of Swinton and therefore
a cadet branch of the Swinton family whose arms also bear the three boar’s
heads. (Sc. Peer.,iv, p.507) Although there seems to be much to support the
possibility of the Swinton claim in regards to the early customs of the family,
the similarity of the arms and so forth, there has been no documentary proof
found to date for this supposition. In addition, it would be more likely that
the grandfather of Richard & Adam de Gordon, Adam de Gordun who fought with
Malcolm Ceanmor would be the link with the Saxon family of Swinton, if there
were indeed a link. Edward Gordon of Cairnfield in his History of the House
of Gordon, XVIII Vols. (1949) states that since the Gourdon name was
known in France from at least the time of Charlemagne that the opinion of the
Gordon family historians followed that of a French origin for the family. (Vol
I, p. 129) He further puts forth the version of Adam de Gordun (Gordon) being
among the ten thousand men under Siefried, Earl of Northumberland, (some French
and Norman knights then at the English Court) being granted by King Edward
Atheling (the Confessor) to his son-in-law Malcolm Ceanmor to regain his throne
from Maclbeatha, Maormer of Moray, better known as MacBeth. (Ibid-p. 131) Adam
de Gordun (sic) was granted lands near the lower Tweed (the lands then named
Gordun for the family in Berwickshire and also land in present day Roxburgh
district—see below for references to Kelso and Houm, now called Hume) for his
service to Malcolm in regaining his throne. He later died, leaving a son also
named Adam, in battle at Alnwick in 1093 when Malcolm Ceanmor invaded England
in an attempt to regain lands in Northumbria. This version seems to be the most
plausible and the accepted version of the Gordon’s entry into Scotland.
About 1130, according to one William Gordon of Harperfield,
Adam ‘Filius Adae de Gordun’ grants lands specially limited, apparently for the
site of a church and cemetery for the parish of Gordun, and extensive pasturage
to the Abbey of Kelso founded by King David in 1126. In a second charter
confirmation to the monks of the Church of St. Mary of Kelso: “the church of
St. Michael of Gordun with the whole of its parish namely of Gordun and of
Spotheswode (Sottiswode)”, and “so long as the abbot and convent of Kelso are willing,
the men of the other Gordon, that is to say of Adam, may take the church
sacraments there, and there their bodies shall be buried; and again when they
please, they shall return to their mother church of Houm.” (Ibid)
Adam died in 1138 at the Battle of the Standard leaving two sons,
Richard de Gordun and Adam of Huntly & Faunes (Huntly & Faunes
presumably being presently known as Fans just west of West Gordon in
Berwickshire.) Richer de Gordun, lord of the barony of Gordon in the Merse between
1150-60 gave yet another charter which granted a piece of land and the church
of St Michael to the monks of Kelso, a grant confirmed by his son Thomas de
Gordun (Kelso, 118, 126). Adam de Gordun, his brother also known as of Huntly
& Faunes, along with Richer (or Richard) witnessed the claim of lands of
Swinton by Patrick, first earl of Dunbar (Raine, 117). (Another source sited
for the claim of the Gordon’s being a cadet branch of the Swinton family.)
Adam’s son, Alexander, earned the gratitude of Alexander I by killing or
capturing a group of traitors who had tried to murder the King. For this he
received the lands of Stitchel in the Merse. (Edward Gordon, pp. 131-132)
Thus according to the documents & manuscripts assembled
by Edward Gordon of Cairnfield, the descent follows such (Ibid.):
Adam de
Gordun (d.1093)
Adam de
Gordun (d. 1138)
Richard de
Gordon (d. 1170) Adam of
Huntly & Faunes
Thomas (d.1214) Alexander
Thomas
(d. 1258) William Thomas
Alicia (d. 1280) Adam (died on the Crusade before
reaching Palestine as did his father)
Adam de Gordon (d. 28 April 1296)
It was this Adam de Gordon who married an English lady by
the name of Marjory and held lands in her right for which he paid homage to
England’s King Henry III and then his son Edward I (Longshanks of Braveheart
fame). On the death of Alexander of Scotland followed by the death of his granddaughter
and heiress Margaret the Maid of Norway, Queen of Scotland, the Scottish throne
was left vacant. Edward I as the granduncle (King Alexander’s wife was Edward’s
sister) of the young queen had assumed the role of protector of Scotland and
upon her death assumed the role of arbiter of the dispute for the throne and
backed John Balliol’s claim. Adam also backed John Balliol’s claim and joined
in his army when Edward reneged in his support and invaded Scotland. Adam died
on the fields of Dunbar. He left a son also called Adam who escaped from
Dunbar, but was compelled to surrender at Elgin. His mother was left with no
option and was forced to swear fealty to Edward on 3 September in order to
protect her son & his holdings. In the spring of 1297 Adam joined William
Wallace in his defense of Scotland and her freedom. However, he still owed
fealty to Edward and John Balliol – bit tricky to balance. In 1305, Edward
appointed him Justiciar of Lothian. In 1308 Adam was able to negotiate the
release of Lamberton, Bishop of St. Andrews and Primate (imprisoned for 2 years
for his part in the coronation of Robert the Bruce), and was also able to save
the life of Sir Thomas Randolph (also a Bruce follower.) It was not until 1314
with the death of Balliol that Sir Adam was able to seek out Robert the Bruce
and swear his fealty to him. At this point, he entered service under Randolph
now the Earl of Moray, and fought under his banner at Bannockburn. In 1320,
Robert the Bruce named Sir Adam and Sir Edward Maubisson as his ambassadors to
carry the Declaration of Arbroath to the Pope outlining the grievances of the
Scottish people against the English and pleading the case for the removal of
excommunication of Robert the Bruce by praising his character and rule.
Recognition of Scotland as a free and independent nation and her choice of king
were accomplished! For his service Robert the Bruce granted him the lands of
Strathbogie Peel in Aberdeenshire. Strathbogie was renamed Huntly and upon his
death at Halidon Hill in 1333, the Huntly estate was inherited by his elder son
Adam. William, the younger son, inherited the lands of Stitchel and his line
became the Gordons of Galloway and the Viscounts of Kenmure. (Ibid Vols. 12
& 13.) Adam’s line branched into the lines of Gordon of Auchleuchries,
Tillytermont, Methlic, Buckie, and Ruthven. Ultimately the main Huntly branch
ended with Elizabeth Gordon, wife of Alexander de Seton. Their children took
the name of Gordon and their eldest son, Alexander, became the first Earl of
Huntly. Alexander’s son, George, married Annabella, daughter of King James I of
Scotland. George and Annabella’s second son became the progenitor of the earls
of Sutherland, their third son was the ancestor of the Gordon’s of Gight and
thus of George Gordon, Lord Byron. (More on the line of Elizabeth Gordon Seaton
later.)
An important date in the Gordon history came with the
charter dated 13 July 1376 in which King Robert II of Scotland reaffirms the
grant of the lands of Strathbogie upon the descendant of Adam de Gordun, named
in the charter as Joannes de Gordon (also known as Sir John de Gordon). This is
the first time the Gordon spelling of the name is recorded in an official
document. In 1377, Sir John Gordon burned Roxburgh to the ground in the border
wars in order to keep it from being of use to the English. He overthrew Sir
John de Lilburn at Carham, had a hand in the defeat and capture of the English
Governor of Berwick, Sir Thomas de Musgrave. He died on the field of
Otterbourne in 1388. Sir John married Elizabeth
Somervell by whom he had four sons, Adam, John, Alexander and Roger. Alexander
and Roger died at Hamildon Hill in 1402 leaving no issue. Adam the elder son
inherited the Huntly titles and John, the younger, a life interest in the
Gordun estates. There has been much confusion about the order of birth between
these two sons and much ado as to the inheritance of Huntly (Strathbogie) by
Adam’s daughter, Elizabeth and her husband Alexander de Seton over the sons of
John. Many have supposed that John’s sons, known as Jock & Tam, were
illegitimate. However, Edward Gordon in his research successfully defends the
position that John was the younger son, and that his sons were not
illegitimate. It is noted that Sir Adam is consistently styled as Sir Adam of
Huntly, while John is styled in some documents as John de Gourdon, Lord of the
same. This would seem to indicate that Adam being the elder inherited the
higher title of Huntly while John was given a life interest in the Gordun
estates in Berwickshire. It is further pointed out that as the father and elder
brother were kept busy defending their interests in the south and defending the
eastern March from border raids, the younger son was entrusted with defending
the newly acquired northern estates of Strathbogie (Huntly). In order to win
over the pictish peoples of the area, Sir John adopted many of their ways and
married one of their own, Elizabeth Cruikshank, the daughter of Cruikshank of
Aswanley who was a Toshstirgh, or judiciary of the area (an executive position
most like a baron bailie.) Their sons were John and Tomas, commonly known as
Jock of Scurdargue and Tam of Ruthven, who were certainly accepted by the
heiress Elizabeth and her husband Alexander de Seton as legitimate near
relations. Edward Gordon makes much of the document of 1422/3 wherein this line
is referred to as natural sons, and seems to be supposing that it is the
Church’s attempt to impose it’s determination of legitimate vs. illegitimate
due to the newly stated position of marriage as a sacrament. It must be noted
that it was not until the Council of Florence (1438-45) that the Church
declared marriage one of the seven sacraments. Therefore, contrary to his
statement that this document was after the acceptance of marriage as a
sacrament, it was in fact recorded prior to the Council of Florence’s convening
by sixteen years. However, the accepted laws of the time in Scotland would not
have prevented either son from inheritance of lands, titles or chieftainship
regardless of a church marriage or not. So the point regarding the confusion
over the elder/younger son is well laid out and supported in his arguments.
Elizabeth Gordon and Alexander de Seton, Lord Gordon by
right of his wife held the lands of Strathbogie. Their son, Alexander, assumed the
name and arms of Gordon, and was created the first Earl of Huntly by James II
in 1449, and also in 1451 received the former Cumming lands of Badenoch, as
well as grants to land in Inverness and Moray. He accompanied Margaret of Scotland to France on marriage
with Dauphin Louis (1436); held command at siege of Roxburgh Castle (1460). His
son George Gordon second earl, was Lord High Chancellor of Scotland
(1498-1501). He married Annabella, daughter of James I of Scotland; from their
second son, Adam Gordon of Aboyne, descended the earls of Sutherland. (Adam
took title earl of Sutherland in right of his wife Elizabeth, Countess of
Sutherland, sister and heiress of the 9th earl.) From their third son were
descended the Gordons of Gight, maternal ancestors of Lord Byron. Their eldest
son, Alexander Gordon (d. 1524), third earl, led the Scots vanguard at Flodden
(1513). He was twice a member of the Council of Regency (1517, 1523).
George Gordon (1514-1562), fourth earl, was Regent
(1536-37). He supported Cardinal Beaton against Arran (1543); as Lieutenant of
North, he crushed the Camerons and MacDonalds (1544). He was Lord Chancellor in
1546. In 1548, he received the earldom of Moray, but when stripped of it
through the queen' s jealousy of his power, he joined the Lords of the
Congregation (1560) and died in revolt against royal authority. His second son,
George Gordon (d. 1576), fifth earl, was restored to his father' s lands and
dignities (nominally, 1565; actually, 1567). He allied himself with Bothwell and
Queen Mary (1566); was made Lord Chancellor; aided in the murder of Darnley,
the divorce of his sister from Bothwell, and Mary' s marriage with Bothwell. He
conspired for Queen Mary' s deliverance from Loch Leven Castle (1567), but
seceded from her cause (1572).
George Gordon (1562-1636), sixth earl, was head of
Roman Catholics of Scotland. He took part in the plot leading to the execution
of Morton (1581), and in the conspiracy that delivered King James VI from
Ruthven raiders (1583). He raised rebellion in north (1589), but had to submit
to the king. He conducted a private war against the earl of Moray and killed
him (1592). After the destruction of
his Huntly Castle (at Strathbogie) by the king, he had to leave Scotland
(1595). He was charged with treason, pardoned, received into kirk, and created
the first Marquis of Huntly and joint Lieutenant of the North (1599). His son
George Gordon (d. 1649), second marquis, was created (1632) Viscount Aboyne. He
refused to subscribe covenant (1638). As Lieutenant of the North, he was driven
from Huntly by Montrose. In civil war, he took the king' s side, and stormed
Aberdeen (1645). Excepted from general pardon (1647), he was beheaded by order
of Scots Parliament. His grandson George Gordon (1643-1716), fourth marquis,
was restored to the family titles and estates in 1661 and created Duke of
Gordon (1684). He held Edinburgh Castle for James II in Revolution of 1688. His
son Alexander Gordon (1678-1728), second duke, also a Jacobite, as Marquis of
Huntly led 2300 men to Old Pretender at Perth (1715).
Lord George Gordon, the third son of the third Duke
of Gordon was a naval lieutenant. From 1774-1781, he served as a Member of
Parliament. In 1778, he headed protestant associations organized to secure the repeal of act relieving
Roman Catholics of certain disabilities. He headed a mob of 50,000 in a march
from St. George’s Fields to the Houses of Parliament to present a repeal
petition. The crowd got unruly and the result was the No-Popery (or Gordon)
Riots lasting from June 2nd- 8th, 1780. He was charged
with treason and through the skillful defense by Erskine was acquitted. Upon
his excommunication from the church, he converted to Judaism in 1786. In 1787,
he was convicted of libel of Marie Antoinette. He lived out the rest of his
life in ease at Newgate prison where he gave many dinners and dances.
George Gordon (1770-1836), fifth and last duke. In
1794 he raised the Gordon Highlanders regiment and commanded it in Spain,
Corsica, Ireland, Holland; attaining the rank of general in 1819. He commanded
a division in the Walcheren expedition of 1809. The dukedom became extinct at
his death, and most of the Gordon property passed to his grandson, the Duke of
Richmond. The Huntly title was passed to the late Duke of Gordon's kinsman,
George, fifth Earl of Aboyne. This nobleman was descended from Lord Charles
Gordon, fourth son of the second Marquis, who, in consideration of his loyalty
and service, was created Earl of Aboyne by Charles II at the Restoration in
1660. The Huntly title has since followed his line to the current chief,
Granville Charles Gordon, 13th Marquis of Huntly.
Author:
Lois M. Todd, Webmaster House of Gordon Virginia Division © copyright 2004.
