Marquess of Huntly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marquessate of Huntly |
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Arms: Quarterly: 1st, Azure, three Boars' Heads couped Or, langued Gules (for Gordon); 2nd, Or, three Lion's Heads erased Gules, langued Azure (for Badenoch); 3rd, Or, three Crescents within a Double-Tressure flory counterflory Gules (for Seton); 4th, Azure, three Cinquefoils Argent (for Fraser). Crest: Out of a Ducal Coronet Or, a Stag's Head and Neck affronty proper, attired with ten Tynes Or. Supporters: On either side a Greyhound Argent, gorged with a Collar Gules, charged with three Buckles Or.
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| Creation date | 17 April 1599 |
| Monarch | King James VI |
| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly |
| Present holder | Granville Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly |
| Heir apparent | Alastair Gordon, Earl of Aboyne |
| Remainder to | the 1st Marquess's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Earl of Huntly Earl of Enzie Earl of Aboyne Lord Gordon of Badenoch Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet Baron Meldrum |
| Status | Extant |
| Seat(s) | Aboyne Castle |
| Former seat(s) | Huntly Castle |
| Motto | BYDAND (Remaining) ANIMO NON ASTUTIA (By courage not by stratagem) |
The Marquess of Huntly is a very old noble title in Scotland. It was created on April 17, 1599, for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. This title is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland. It is also the second oldest in all of the British Isles. Only the English Marquessate of Winchester is older.
A Marquess is a rank of nobility, usually below a Duke but above an Earl. The Marquess of Huntly also holds several other important titles. These include Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet, and Earl of Aboyne. He also holds the title of Baron Meldrum, which is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
Contents
The Gordon Family's Beginnings
The Gordon family's story starts with Sir Adam Gordon. He was killed in a battle in 1402. His daughter, Elizabeth Gordon, inherited his lands. She married Alexander Seton, who then took the Gordon family name.
Alexander Seton was given the title of Earl of Huntly in 1445. This was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. His son became the second Earl. He served as the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, a very important government job.
Early Earls of Huntly
The third Earl of Huntly was part of the Council of Regency in 1517. This council helped rule the country. His grandson became the fourth Earl. He also served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
In 1562, the fourth Earl died in battle. His titles were taken away by Parliament. However, his eldest son, George Gordon, later got them back. This George Gordon also served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
The First Marquess
George Gordon, the son of the fifth Earl, became the first Marquess of Huntly. He was born in 1562 and studied in France. He was a Roman Catholic at a time when there was tension between Catholics and Protestants.
He was involved in some plots against King James VI. He also had private feuds with other clans. These feuds even inspired a famous Scottish song called The Bonnie Earl O' Moray.
His son, the second Marquess, was raised as a Protestant in England. During the English Civil War, he supported the King. He was later pardoned for his actions but was sadly executed in 1649.
Later Generations and New Titles
In 1632, the seventh Earl was given the title of Viscount Aboyne. This meant that this title would pass to his second son, James Gordon.
When the second Marquess died, his titles went to his son, the third Marquess. In 1661, the titles that had been taken away were given back by Parliament.
The Dukes of Gordon
In 1684, the fourth Marquess was given even more important titles. He became the Duke of Gordon, a very high rank of nobility. He also received titles like Viscount of Inverness and Earl of Huntly and Enzie. All these were in the Peerage of Scotland.
His son became the second Duke. He supported the Old Pretender, who claimed the Scottish throne. The third Duke served in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament.
The fourth Duke, Alexander Gordon, was known as "Cock o' the North". He was a Scottish Representative Peer and held important roles in Scotland. In 1784, he was given new titles in the Peerage of Great Britain.
Changes in Titles
The fifth Duke was a general in the Army. He also served as Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire. He died in 1836 without any children who could legally inherit his titles. Because of this, the Dukedom of Gordon and some other titles became extinct.
However, the Marquessate of Huntly continued. It passed to a relative, George Gordon, 5th Earl of Aboyne. He became the ninth Marquess. In 1815, he was created Baron Meldrum. This title allowed the Marquesses of Huntly to sit in the House of Lords before 1963.
The tenth Marquess served in the House of Commons. He was also Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire. His eldest son, the eleventh Marquess, was a Liberal politician.
Today, the titles are held by Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, the 13th Marquess of Huntly. He became Marquess in 1987. He is also the Chief of Clan Gordon, a large Scottish clan.
Other Notable Family Members
Many other members of the Gordon family have achieved fame.
- Lord John Gordon, a younger son of the first Marquess, became Viscount Melgum.
- Lord Adam Gordon was a general in the Army.
- Lord William Gordon was a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy.
- Lord George Gordon was a Member of Parliament. He is remembered for leading protests in London.
- Charles Gordon, an illegitimate son of the fifth Duke, became an admiral in the Royal Navy.
- Lord John Frederick Gordon, a son of the ninth Marquess, was also an admiral. He married Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, who was a daughter of King William IV.
Family Homes
The main family home today is Aboyne Castle. The family also used to own Huntly Castle in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
Earls of Huntly (1445)
- Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly (died 1470)
- George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly (died 1501)
- Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (died 1524)
- George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (1514–1562) (titles lost 1563)
- George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly (died 1576) (titles restored 1565)
- George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly (1562–1636) (became Marquess of Huntly in 1599)
Marquesses of Huntly (1599)
- George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, 6th Earl of Huntly (1562–1636)
- George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, 7th Earl of Huntly (1592–1649)
- Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly, 8th Earl of Huntly (c. 1626–1653)
- George Gordon, 4th Marquess of Huntly, 9th Earl of Huntly (1649–1716) (became Duke of Gordon in 1684)
Dukes of Gordon (1684)
- George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon, 4th Marquess of Huntly, 9th Earl of Huntly (1649–1716)
- Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon, 5th Marquess of Huntly, 10th Earl of Huntly (died 1728)
- Cosmo George Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon, 6th Marquess of Huntly, 11th Earl of Huntly (c. 1720–1752)
- Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, 7th Marquess of Huntly, 12th Earl of Huntly (1743–1827)
- George Duncan Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon, 8th Marquess of Huntly, 13th Earl of Huntly (1770–1836)
Marquesses of Huntly (1599; Reverted)
- George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly, 14th Earl of Huntly, 5th Earl of Aboyne, 1st Baron Meldrum (1761–1853) (Created Baron Meldrum in 1815)
- Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly, 15th Earl of Huntly, 6th Earl of Aboyne, 2nd Baron Meldrum (1792–1863)
- Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly, 16th Earl of Huntly, 7th Earl of Aboyne, 3rd Baron Meldrum (1847–1937)
- Douglas Charles Lindsey Gordon, 12th Marquess of Huntly, 17th Earl of Huntly, 8th Earl of Aboyne, 4th Baron Meldrum (1908–1987)
- Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly, 18th Earl of Huntly, 9th Earl of Aboyne, 5th Baron Meldrum (born 1944)
The heir apparent (the person next in line to inherit the title) is the present Marquess's only son, Alastair Gordon, Earl of Aboyne (born 1973). The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son Cosmo Alistair Gordon, Lord Strathavon (born 2009).
See also
- Clan Gordon
- Earl of Aboyne
- Duke of Gordon
- Duke of Richmond
- Earl of Sutherland
