Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly
Encyclopedia
Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly (c. 1626–1653) was a Scottish nobleman.
He was the third son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
.
, he was named after Louis XIII of France
, and brought up until the age of ten by his grandfather, George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
. From an early age, he showed himself to be a reckless romantic - while still a child, he stole some jewels and attempted to take ship to Holland, presumably to join the army. When he was thirteen, 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 English Civil War
, first in the royalist army and then in the Scottish 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 fiancee of his absent elder brother, Viscount Aboyne
. He served on both sides in the Scottish Civil War
, playing an important role in his father's occupation of Aberdeen
in 1646, engaging an enemy cavalry commander in single combat and then storming the town. Going into exile after the defeat of the royalists, he traveled again to France; in rapid succession, he succeeded his brother and father as Earl of Enzie and Marquess of Gordon, and by 1651, he was allowed to return to Scotland, even though he refused to conform with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland
(he was probably a Roman Catholic).
He died aged 26 or 27, leaving a young widow (who he had apparently converted to Catholicism), three daughters, and a four-year-old son, eventually 1st Duke of Gordon
.
His reputation with 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.
He was the third son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly , styled Earl of Enzie from 1599 to 1636, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly by Lady Henrietta Stewart, daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was brought up in England as a Protestant, and later created Viscount Aboyne by Charles I.On...
.
Biography
Born when his father was commander of the Garde ÉcossaiseGarde Écossaise
The Garde Écossaise was an elite Scottish military unit founded in 1418 by the Valois Charles VII of France, to be personal bodyguards to the French monarchy. They were assimilated into the Maison du Roi and later formed the first Company of the Garde du Corps du Roi...
, he was named after Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
, and brought up until the age of ten by his grandfather, George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century and around the time of the Union of the Crowns.-Biography:...
. From an early age, he showed himself to be a reckless romantic - while still a child, he stole some jewels and attempted to take ship to Holland, presumably to join the army. When he was thirteen, the First Bishops' War broke out, and the young nobleman sneaked out of Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle is located in Gight, near Fochabers in Moray, Scotland. Historically known as the Bog-of-Gight, it was the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon...
(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
Megray Hill
Megray Hill is a low lying coastal mountainous landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 120 metres above mean sea level. This hill has been posited as a likely location for the noted Battle of Mons Graupius...
, 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 English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, first in the royalist army and then in the Scottish Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
forces of his uncle, the Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, was the de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, also known as the British Civil War...
- the same army he had fought against in 1639.
Eventually returning home, the sixteen-year-old nobleman seduced and married the fiancee of his absent elder brother, Viscount Aboyne
James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne
James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne was the second son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, a Scottish royalist commander in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.-Early life:...
. He served on both sides in the Scottish Civil War
Scottish Civil War
Between 1644 and 1651 Scotland was involved the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during a period when a series of civil wars that were fought in Scotland, England and in Ireland...
, playing an important role in his father's occupation of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
in 1646, engaging an enemy cavalry commander in single combat and then storming the town. Going into exile after the defeat of the royalists, he traveled again to France; in rapid succession, he succeeded his brother and father as Earl of Enzie and Marquess of Gordon, and by 1651, he was allowed to return to Scotland, even though he refused to conform with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(he was probably a Roman Catholic).
He died aged 26 or 27, leaving a young widow (who he had apparently converted to Catholicism), three daughters, and a four-year-old son, eventually 1st Duke of Gordon
George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon
George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon KT, PC , known as Marquess of Huntly from 1661 to 1684, was a Scottish peer....
.
His reputation with 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.