Adam de Gordon, Lord of Gordon facts for kids

Sir Adam de Gordon (born 1273, died 1333) was an important Scottish leader. He was known as the lord of Gordon. Sir Adam was both a statesman, meaning he helped run the country, and a soldier. He lived during a time when Scotland and England often fought.

Adam Gordon: A Scottish Leader

Early Life and Changing Loyalties

Some historians believe that Sir Adam Gordon joined the famous Scottish hero William Wallace in 1297. This was a time when Scotland was fighting for its freedom from England. Because of this, Adam's family lands in England were taken away.

However, his mother, Marjory, managed to get these lands back. She did this by agreeing to English rule. This brought a lot of wealth and land to Adam's family in both Scotland and England.

In 1303, the English King Edward I spent time in Scotland. When he went back to England, he took some sons of Scottish nobles with him as hostages. Sir Adam Gordon followed him. Adam was given the job of helping to make peace in Scotland.

Working with Monks and Kings

Around 1300, Adam Gordon confirmed some old agreements with the abbey of Kelso. An abbey is a place where monks live and work. These agreements were about lands given to the monks by Adam's ancestors. One of the oldest agreements was from before 1180. In 1308, Adam also made a new agreement with the monks about land in his village of Gordon.

After Robert Bruce became King of Scotland, and Edward II became King of England, some Scottish nobles still supported England. Sir Adam Gordon was one of them for a while. He even helped prevent the execution of King Robert's nephew, Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray. Randolph was supposed to be kept prisoner by Gordon.

Supporting the English King

Until 1314, Sir Adam Gordon was on good terms with the English King Edward II. He received many favors from the king. For example, in 1308, when the Archbishop of St. Andrews was freed from prison, Gordon helped make sure he followed the rules of his release.

In 1310, Adam was given an important job as a "justiciar" of Scotland. This meant he was a chief judge or administrator. In 1312, King Edward II wanted to invade Scotland. But he decided to try for peace instead. He chose Gordon and others to represent him in peace talks. However, these talks did not work out.

In 1313, Gordon and another Scottish leader told King Edward about the difficult situation for Scots who still supported England. The king promised to send an army to help them.

Joining Robert Bruce

After the famous Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Sir Adam Gordon changed his mind. He decided to support Robert Bruce as the rightful King of Scotland. King Robert welcomed him warmly. Adam quickly became one of the king's most trusted friends.

As a reward for his loyalty, King Robert gave Adam the land of Stitchel in Roxburghshire. This was confirmed to Adam and his son William in 1315.

In 1320, Adam Gordon went on a special trip to the Pope in Avignon, France. He carried a very important letter from the Scottish nobles. This letter, known as the Declaration of Arbroath, strongly stated that Scotland was an independent country. Gordon's job was to help make peace between King Robert and the Pope. He also tried to pave the way for peace with England. Even though the Pope liked the letter, it didn't immediately make him recognize Robert as King of Scots.

King Robert also gave Adam Gordon the lordship of Strathbogie in Aberdeenshire. This land had belonged to David, Earl of Atholl. Adam renamed this area "Huntly," after a village on his other lands. This is where the famous Gordon family of Huntly comes from.

Final Years and Legacy

During the early years of Scotland's independence, Sir Adam Gordon continued to serve his country. He even led a group of soldiers to try and take cattle from outside Norham Castle in England. They had a fight with the castle's leader, Sir Thomas Grey.

Adam Gordon remained loyal to King Robert's son, David II. He fought bravely for Scotland. Sir Adam Gordon was killed on July 12, 1333. He died fighting at the front of the Scottish army during the Battle of Halidon Hill.

Historians say that Adam Gordon was one of King Robert Bruce's most trusted friends. Many important Scottish families named Gordon are descended from him.