Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly

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Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly (c. 1626–1653) was a Scottish nobleman.[1] He was the third son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly.

Biography

Born when his father was commander of the

First Bishops' War broke out, and the young nobleman sneaked out of Gordon Castle (one account says he climbed over the wall) and hurried to the Highlands, where he raised a brigade of clansmen from his father's estates to fight the Covenanters. His first experience of war was at Megray Hill
, where his Highlanders scattered in the face of enemy cannon fire.

Following the peace, Lord Lewis travelled to France, where he enlisted as an ordinary pikeman in an infantry regiment, in order to learn his soldiering from the ground up. After three years, he traveled to England, working his way north by serving on both sides in the

Covenanter forces of his uncle, the Earl of Argyll
, the same army he had fought against in 1639.

Eventually returning home, the sixteen-year-old nobleman seduced and married the fiancée of his absent elder brother,

Roman Catholic
).

In 1645 Lord Lewis attacked Brodie Castle in Moray and setting it afire destroyed important archives and documents detailing the origins of the illustrious Clan Brodie.[3] This despicable act secured Clan Brodie's place among the great mysteries of Scotland.

He died aged 26 or 27, leaving a young widow (whom he had apparently converted to Catholicism), three daughters, and a four-year-old son who would eventually become the 1st Duke of Gordon.[4] Miles Gourdon, a cavalry commander in the French army known as the chevalier or count of "Crolis", was perhaps an illegitimate son, as he is said to have been a brother of the duke.[5]

His reputation among historians has varied; he is the clearest hero in the Civil War narrative of his kinsman Patrick Gordon of Ruthven, while John Buchan regarded him as wild and headstrong to the point of insanity.

References

  1. ^ George Wishart (1819). Memoirs of the most renowned James Graham, marquis of Montrose. A. Constable. p. 87. Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly.
  2. ^ Gordon, James (1841). History of Scots Affairs, from M DC XXXVII to M DC XLI (1637-1641). Spalding Club. p. 314.
  3. ^ Stuart, Alexander Moody (1865). Life and Letters of Elisabeth, Last Duchess of Gordon. London, J. Nisbet and co. p. 5.
  4. ^ "Person Page". thepeerage.com.
  5. ^ Lamoral le Pippre de Noeufville, Simon (1734). Abrégé chronologique et historique de l'origine, du progrès et de l'état actuel de la Maison du roi et de toutes les troupes de France, tant d'infanterie que de cavalerie et de dragons, tome seconde. Everard Knits, Liege. p. 373.

Bibliography

Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Marquess of Huntly
1649 – 1653 		Succeeded by
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