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George GordonScottish Baron of the House of Gordon
Date of Birth: 01.01.1592
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
- Education and Religious Beliefs
- The Covenant and the Bishops' Wars
- The Scottish Civil War
- Execution
- Family
- - James Gordon (c. 1620-1649), 2nd Viscount Aboyne (from 1636)
- - Mary Gordon, married Alexander Irvine of Drum (d. 1687)
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
The Scottish baron George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, emerged as a staunch royalist leader during the mid-17th century Covenanting movement in Scotland.
Education and Religious Beliefs
George was the eldest son of George, 1st Marquess of Huntly, a prominent Catholic in the reign of King James VI. Raised in England, George leaned towards the Anglican faith and its episcopalian structure rather than the more radical Presbyterianism prevalent in Scotland.
The Covenant and the Bishops' Wars
In 1637, when the "National Covenant" sparked an uprising against royal reforms to Presbyterian worship, Huntly's father remained loyal to the king. Refusing to sign the covenant, George led Scottish conservatives and royalists who opposed the abolition of episcopacy and the curtailment of royal power. Despite attempts by Covenanters to rally support in Aberdeenshire, Huntly's strong presence prevented Presbyterian preachers from gaining access to Aberdeen's pulpits. As a result, the region under Huntly's and the Gordon clan's influence became a stronghold of royalist sentiment, opposing the Covenanter government in Edinburgh.
In 1639, the "Bishops' Wars" erupted between the Scottish Parliament and King Charles I's forces. Huntly's father joined the king's side, fortifying Aberdeen. However, the advance of Earl of Montrose's Parliamentarian army forced the royalist retreat. Failed negotiations between Huntly and Montrose led to the arrest and imprisonment of Huntly in Edinburgh. In response, Huntly's eldest son, James Gordon, seized Aberdeen and attempted to raise a new royalist army. Montrose's swift actions thwarted the concentration of royalist forces, quashing the Gordon uprising. Released at Charles I's request, Huntly remained in opposition to Covenanter rule. Despite his influence in the northeast, he failed to organize a significant royalist party to counter the Covenanting movement. In early 1644, the Gordons once again rose in support of the king but were swiftly defeated, forcing Huntly to retreat into Sutherland.
The Scottish Civil War
The task of uniting royalist forces fell to the Marquess of Montrose, a former Covenanter military leader who had switched allegiance to Charles I. In August 1644, Montrose led a small army composed of Irish Catholics and Scottish Highlanders into the western Highlands. This army triumphed in a series of battles from late 1644 to early 1645 against Covenanter troops, reviving royalist hopes. Huntly initially hesitated to support Montrose, his adversary in the Bishops' Wars, and some Gordons even defended Aberdeen against his army. However, Montrose's victories, particularly at the Battle of Inverlochy, and the defection of northern clans to his cause compelled Huntly to reconsider. In spring 1645, Huntly's son Lord Gordon joined Montrose's army with a cavalry force that made crucial contributions to royalist victories at Alford and Kilsyth.
Despite these victories, the antagonism between Huntly and Montrose remained a significant weakness for the royalists. Angered by Montrose's perceived lack of deference and appreciation, the Gordons withdrew from Montrose's army in August 1645, taking much of the cavalry with them. This contributed to the defeat of Montrose's troops at the Battle of Philiphaugh on September 13, 1645, a turning point in the Civil War. Covenanter armies regained the initiative, reestablishing their authority throughout the country. Huntly attempted to hold out in Banff, but the advance of David Leslie's Parliamentarian army in 1646 forced him to flee into the mountains. Aberdeenshire and the entire northeast of Scotland soon fell to the Covenanters.
Execution
In 1647, Huntly was captured by the Covenanters and brought to Edinburgh. An Act of Parliament excluded him from the general amnesty granted after the Civil War, and his estates and titles were forfeited. On March 22, 1649, George Gordon was executed in Edinburgh.
Family
George Gordon married Anne Campbell in 1607. They had five sons and five daughters:
- George Gordon, Lord Gordon (d. 1645), killed at the Battle of Alford
- James Gordon (c. 1620-1649), 2nd Viscount Aboyne (from 1636)
- Lewis Gordon (c. 1626-1653), 3rd Marquess of Huntly- Charles Gordon (d. 1681), 1st Earl of Aboyne (from 1660)
- Henry Gordon, served in the Polish army
- Anne Gordon (d. 1656), married James Drummond, 3rd Earl of Perth
- Harriett Gordon, married Lord George Seton and later John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Traquair
- Jean Gordon (d. 1655), married Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington
- Mary Gordon, married Alexander Irvine of Drum (d. 1687)
- Catherine Gordon, lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga of Poland
