John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland facts for kids

John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland (1525–1567) was a powerful Scottish noble. He was known for supporting his family leader, the Earl of Huntly, against the Earl of Moray. After a big battle called Corrichie, John Gordon had to leave Scotland. When he returned, he was sadly murdered by a relative.

Early Life and Becoming Earl

John Gordon was born in 1525. His parents were Alexander Gordon and Lady Janet Stewart. His grandmother, Elizabeth Sutherland, was the 10th Countess of Sutherland.

John's father, Alexander, became Earl of Sutherland in 1527. But he passed away in 1530. Even though John was still young, he attended the Scottish Parliament in 1543. This meeting decided not to accept the Treaty of Greenwich.

Around 1544, John married Lady Elizabeth Campbell. She was the daughter of the Earl of Argyll. In 1546, John officially became the Earl of Sutherland. The next year, he helped lead part of the Scottish army at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh.

His wife Elizabeth died in 1547. In 1548, John married his second wife, Lady Helen Stewart.

Land and Power

In 1554, John Gordon, as Earl of Sutherland, helped a young noble named Alexander Sutherland. He made Alexander the overlord of lands like Skelbo and Invershin. In 1562, the Earl of Sutherland created a new barony called Skelbo for Alexander Sutherland and his family. This showed the Earl's power over these lands.

Helping the Queen Regent

In 1554, Mary of Guise, who was ruling Scotland for her young daughter, asked Earl John for help. She paid for a ship, soldiers, and a cannon. John and his step-brother, Hugh Kennedy, used these to capture Iye Du Mackay, a clan chief who was causing trouble in Sutherland. They sailed on a ship called the Lion and took Borve Castle. Hugh Kennedy then captured Iye Mackay and brought him to Edinburgh.

Exile and Tragic Death

In 1562, Mary, Queen of Scots and her half-brother, James Stewart, who was now the Earl of Moray, traveled north. They had disagreements with John's cousin, the Earl of Huntly. This led to a fight called the Battle of Corrichie.

After the battle, secret letters between John Gordon and the Earl of Huntly were found. Because of this, John Gordon had to escape to Louvain in Flanders. In 1563, the Scottish Parliament declared that Huntly and Sutherland had lost their titles.

However, in 1565, Queen Mary of Scotland gave back the titles to the Earls of Huntly and Sutherland. John was invited to return to Scotland. On his way back, he was briefly held prisoner in Berwick by an English privateer. The English saw him as a threat to their plans in Scotland. Queen Mary demanded his release, and he was set free in 1566.

After returning, he married Marie Seton. Sadly, in 1567, both John and Marie were poisoned at Helmsdale Castle. They died at Dunrobin Castle on June 23, 1567. His aunt, Isobel Sinclair, poisoned them. She wanted her own son to become the Earl. Isobel Sinclair died before she could be punished. Some people believed that the Earl of Caithness might have been involved in the plot because he wanted the Sutherland earldom.