| Clan Gordon | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gòrdanach (Singular),Na Gòrdanaich (Collective) | |||
 Crest: In a ducal coronet Or, a stag's head and neck affrontée proper, attired with ten tines Gold | |||
| Motto | Bydand ("abiding")[1] Animo non astutia ("By courage, not by craft")[2] | ||
| Slogan | An Gòrdonach | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Highland | ||
| District | Aberdeenshire | ||
| Plant badge | Rockivy | ||
| Pipe music | "The Gordon's March", "Cock o' the North" | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| The Most Hon. Granville Charles Gordon | |||
| The 13thMarquess of Huntly (An Gòrdonach[3]) | |||
| Seat | Aboyne Castle[4] | ||
| Historic seat | Huntly Castle[5] | ||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Clan Gordon is aHighlandScottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated atAboyne Castle,Aberdeenshire. TheChief of the clan is theEarl of Huntly, later theMarquess of Huntly.
During theWars of Scottish Independence in the 13th century, the Gordons supportedWilliam Wallace in the cause of independence. In the 15th century, the chiefship of the clan passed to an heiress, who married into the Seton family and her male descendants assumed the surname Gordon and continued as chiefs of the clan. The Gordons assisted in defeating the rebellion of theEarl of Douglas also in the 15th century. In the 16th century, the Gordons as Catholics feuded with their Protestant neighbors theClan Forbes and also defeated at theBattle of Glenlivet, the ProtestantEarl of Argyll. During theWars of the Three Kingdoms of the 17th century, the Gordons supported theRoyalist cause. During theJacobite rising of 1715 the Clan Gordon was Jacobite. During theJacobite rising of 1745, their chief, then theDuke of Gordon, pledged his support to the British-Hanoverian Government, but his clan remained Jacobite.
The first Gordon on record is Richard of Gordon, previously of Swinton, said to have been the grandson of a famousNorman knight who slew some monstrous animal inthe Merse during the time of KingMalcolm III of Scotland. This Richard was Lord of the Barony ofGordon in the Merse. Richard de (of) Gordon probably died around 1200.[6] Between 1150 and 1160 he granted from his estate a piece of land to the Monks of St. Mary atKelso, a grant which was confirmed by his son Thomas Gordon. Other notable Gordons from this time include Bertram de Gordon who wounded King Richard of England with an arrow at Châlons.[7]
Alicia Gordon, IV of the Gordon family was the heiress who married her cousin, Adam Gordon. Adam Gordon was a soldier who KingAlexander III of Scotland sent with King Louis of France to Palestine. One tradition is that from Adam's grandson, Sir Adam, all of the Gordons in Scotland are descended. This Adam Gordon supported SirWilliam Wallace in 1297 to recapture the Castle of Wigtown from the English and Adam was made the Governor.[7]
During theWars of Scottish Independence Sir Adam Gordon, who had supported William Wallace, renounced his subsequent acceptance of the claims ofEdward I of England and became a staunch supporter ofRobert the Bruce.[6] Adam was killed leading the Clan Gordon at theBattle of Halidon Hill in 1333 but his son Sir Alexander Gordon escaped and was the first Gordon to be designated "of Huntly".[7]
Chief Sir John Gordon was killed leading the clan at theBattle of Otterburn where the English were defeated in 1388. His son, Chief Sir Adam Gordon, was killed leading the clan at the Battle of Homildon Hill, also known as theBattle of Humbleton Hill on 14 September 1402. The chief left his only child, a daughter namedElizabeth Gordon who married Alexander Seton, who was the son of Sir William Seton, chief ofClan Seton.[7]
TheBattle of Arbroath was fought in 1445 where Patrick Gordon of Methlic, a cousin of the Earl of Huntly, was killed fighting theClan Lindsay. From this Patrick Gordon theEarls of Aberdeen descend.[7][8]
In 1449Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Huntly, the eldest son ofElizabeth Gordon andAlexander Seton, Lord Gordon, changed the family name from Seton to Gordon.c. 1457.[9] His male heirs through his third wife Elizabeth Crichton continued to bear the name of Gordon and were chiefs of Clan Gordon.
The chief ofClan Lindsay, Alexander Lindsay, the 4th Earl of Crawford, was badly defeated by the Clan Gordon and Clan Ogilvy underAlexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly (previously Alexander Seton) at theBattle of Brechin in 1452.[10]
The Gordons became involved in the deadly feud between the king and theClan Douglas for power.[6] The Gordons supported the king but when Gordon moved his forces south, the Earl of Moray who was an ally of the Douglases devastated the Gordon lands and burnedHuntly Castle.[6] However, the Gordons returned and soon defeated their enemies.[6] Huntly Castle was rebuilt and when the Douglases were finally defeated the power of the Gordons grew unchallenged.[6] In 1454 the Douglasses broke out in rebellion again and when confronted with the king in the south and Huntly in the north were soundly defeated, effectively ending the confederacy of the Douglasses, Rosses and Crawfords.[11] For his notable contributions Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly was styledCock o' the North, a designation which has ever since been accorded to the heads of clan Gordon.[6][11]
In 1513, during theAnglo-Scottish Wars, the Clan Gordon led by Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly fought at theBattle of Flodden.[7]
In 1515, the title ofEarl of Sutherland and chiefship of theClan Sutherland passed by right of marriage to Adam Gordon who was a younger son ofGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly.[12]
Later during the Anglo-Scottish Wars,George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly defeated an English army at theBattle of Haddon Rig in 1542 but the Gordons were later part of the Scottish army which was defeated at theBattle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.[7]
Chief George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was General of the forces on the Borders who opposed the forces ofHenry VIII of England and Gordon had many victorious encounters. He was however later killed at theBattle of Corrichie in 1562 fighting against the forces of James Stuart, Earl of Moray (half-brother to Mary Queen of Scots). Gordon was killed and his son, Sir John, and other members of his family were later executed atAberdeen.[7]
Throughout the 16th century the Clan Gordon were involved in a long and bitter struggle against theClan Forbes.[13] In the 1520s there were murders by both sides, and one of the most prominent killed by the Forbeses wasSeton of Meldrum who was a close connection of the Earl of Huntly, chief of Clan Gordon.[13] The Earl of Huntly then became involved in a plot against theMaster of Forbes, who was the son of the sixthLord Forbes.[13] The sixth Lord Forbes had been heavily implicated of the murder of Seton of Meldrum.[13] The Master of Forbes was accused by the Earl of Huntly of conspiring to assassinateJames V of Scotland in 1536 by shooting at him with a cannon.[13] The Master of Forbes was tried and executed however just days later his conviction was reversed and the Forbes family was restored to favor.[13] TheProtestant Reformation added to the feud between the Clan Forbes and Clan Gordon in that the Gordons remained Catholic and the Forbeses became Protestant.[13] The traditional enemies of the Forbses such as theClan Leslie,Clan Irvine andClan Seton sided with the Gordons while Protestant families such as theClan Keith,Clan Fraser andClan Crichton sided with the Clan Forbes.[13] Twenty Gordons were killed at a banquet held at the Forbes'sDruminnor Castle in 1571.[14] Later in 1571 the feud climaxed with theBattle of Tillieangus,[14] and theBattle of Craibstone, and Druminnor, then the seat of the chief of Clan Forbes was plundered.[13] The Gordons followed this up with the massacre of twenty seven Forbeses of Towie atCorgarff Castle.[13] It took two Acts of Parliament for the clans to put down their arms.[13]
For two centuries from the mid-15th century the Clan Gordon andClan Campbell controlled the north-east and west of Scotland respectively, as themagnates who straddled the divide between theScottish Highlands andScottish Lowlands.[15] In 1594,Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll was granted a Royal Commission againstGeorge Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly but was defeated at theBattle of Glenlivet.[16][7][17]
The register of the Privy Seal records that in 1615 a complaint was made from Alexander Leask of theClan Leask that Adam Gordon, brother of the Laird of Gight, put violent hands upon him at the Yet of Leask, wounding him grievously.[18] Later that year the Gordons again attacked the Leasks, setting upon a son of the chief for which George Gordon was outlawed.[18] In 1616, William Leask of that Ilk was accosted by John Gordon of Ardlogy and a party of men withpistolets andhagbuts.[7][18]
In the early 17th century Clan Gordon had a number of alliances by marriage or friendship. Among these was a strong bond to theClan Burnett of Leys. The Gordon crest is emblazoned inplasterwork on the ceiling of the early 17th centurygreat hall ofMuchalls Castle built by Alexander Burnett.[7]
In 1644 AlexanderBannerman of Pitmedden fought a duel with his cousin, Sir George Gordon of Haddo, and wounded him. Also in 1644 during the Civil War at theBattle of Aberdeen there were Gordons on both sides. Lord Lewis Gordon led his forces on the side of the Covenanters while Sir Nathaniel Gordon led his forces in support of the Royalists.[7]
During theCivil War the second Marquess of Huntly was a fierce royalist and his followers have passed into history as theGordon Horse and they figured very prominently in the campaigns of the greatJames Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose.[6] Cavalry from the Clan Gordon fought in support of the royalists at theBattle of Auldearn in 1645 where they helped to defeat theCovenanters of Lord Seaforth. The Clan Gordon fought at theBattle of Alford in 1645 where they were victorious, led byGeorge Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly. The Marquess of Huntly's eldest son George Gordon fell at this battle.[7] Also in 1645, Lewis Gordon, clan chief and 3rd Marquess of Huntly burnedBrodie Castle of theClan Brodie.[19]
In 1682 William Gordon ofCardoness Castle, was killed in a fight withSir Godfrey McCulloch. McCulloch fled Scotland for a time, but returned, only to be apprehended and executed in 1697.[20]
The Gordons fought on both sides during both theJacobite rising of 1715 and theJacobite rising of 1745.[6] The second Duke of Gordon followed the Jacobites in 1715 and fought at theBattle of Sheriffmuir.[6] General Wade's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the clan strength at 1,000 men.[21]
Cosmo Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon supported the British Government during the rising of 1745.[6] However, his brother,Lord Lewis Gordon, raised two Jacobite regiments against the Hanoverians.[6] The Gordon Jacobites fought at theBattle of Inverurie (1745), theBattle of Falkirk (1746) and theBattle of Culloden (1746).[7]
Two regiments named the "Gordon Highlanders" have been raised from the Clan Gordon. The first was the81st Regiment of Foot (Aberdeenshire Highland Regiment) formed in 1777 by the Hon. Colonel William Gordon, son of the Earl of Aberdeen and was disbanded in 1783. The second was the92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot raised by Alexander the 4th Duke of Gordon in 1794.[7]
_Regiment%2c_and_Clan_Gordon_tartan%2c_tileable.png)
Clan Gordon has several recognizedtartans, most of them predominantly green-blue-and-black, but also including dress patterns, some red-based ones, and some variants for specific branches of the clan.[26]
The main Gordon tartan is based on that originally used by the92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot; the clan version has thinner black bands, and thin black "guard lines" on either side of the yellow over-check. The tartan is ultimately based on theBlack Watch tartan, but with the yellow over-check added, and the single black over-check of Black Watch converted into a pair, like the rest of the black over-checks in the design. The 92nd later became theGordon Highlanders in 1881, then amalgamated into theHighlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) in 1994, which is now the Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS). The modern unit (for dress) uses the Cameron of Erracht tartan, not a Gordon variant.
The main Gordon tartan has been used for many years as the troop tartan for the 10th Finchley (Scottish) Scout Group, London N3.[27] The Scout Group was and still is unique in being the only group south of the border to wear kilts and actively maintains its links with the Gordon clan. Every four years (with a few exceptions) they camp in the grounds of Aboyne Castle and the Marquess would often attend Burns Night dinners as the guest of honour at the scout hall. The group's pipe band always plays "The Cock of the North 6/8 March" when returning to their hall following parades and every member wears a badge bearing the stag's head that forms part of the clan crest. A picture of the band outside their current scout hall shows all members wearing Gordon Tartan kilts.[28][29]The ties go further, with the address of the scout hall being Gordon Hall, Huntly Drive, West Finchley, London, N3.
Castles that have been owned by the Clan Gordon include, amongst many others:
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)