George Learmonth (russian: Юрий Андреевич Лермонт, Yuri Andreevich Lermont; 1595s–1633) was a Scottish soldier in Russian service. He entered Russian service in 1613 as the

praporshchik ( rus, Пра́порщик, 3=ˈprapərɕːɪk, ) is a rank used by the Russian Armed Forces and a number of former communist states. The rank is a non-commissioned officer's and is equivalent to in navies. It is usually equivalent to Warrant ...

(ensign) in the regiment of captain-rittmeister Jacob Shaw. At least six former members of the Belaia garrison, including George Learmonth, helped decisively turn back Prince Wladyslaw’s troops in intense fighting at

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

’s Arbat Gates of

Bely Gorod Bely Gorod ( rus, Бе́лый го́род, p=ˈbʲelɨj ˈɡorət, "White City") is the central core area of Moscow, Russia beyond the Kremlin and Kitay-gorod. The name comes from the color of its defensive wall, which was erected in 1585–15 ...

during defending Moscow against a Polish army. In that battle, Ensign George Learmonth’s bravery was on display ‘for all to see’. When Lieutenant David Edwards was killed in the defence of Moscow, the Irish soldiers in his company immediately petitioned to have George Learmonth replace him. Newly promoted Lieutenant Yuri Lermont received fifteen rubles per month. During the

Smolensk War The Smolensk War (1632–1634) was a conflict fought between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia. Hostilities began in October 1632 when Russian forces tried to capture the city of Smolensk. Small military engagements produced mix ...

(1632–1634) he's

Rittmeister __NOTOC__ (German and Scandinavian for "riding master" or "cavalry master") is or was a military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other countries. A ''Rittmeister'' is typic ...

of Moscouvite

Reiter ''Reiter'' or ''Schwarze Reiter'' ("black riders", anglicized ''swart reiters'') were a type of cavalry in 16th to 17th century Central Europe including Holy Roman Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Russia, and others. ...

s regiment of Charles d'Ebert, under command of Prince Semyon

Prozorovsky Princes Prozorovsky (russian: Прозоровскиe) were a Russian noble family of Rurikid stock descending from medieval rulers of Yaroslavl and Mologa. Their name is derived from the village of Prozorovo near Mologa, which used to be their on ...

, died in battle against units of

Field Hetman of Lithuania Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...

Krzysztof Radziwiłł Prince Krzysztof Radziwiłł (Christopher Radvila, lt, Kristupas Radvila) (22 March 1585, Biržai – 19 November 1640) was a Polish–Lithuanian noble ( szlachcic), and a notable magnate, politician and military commander of his epoch. So ...

on 30 August 1633.

Life

Family history asserted that George Learmonth descended from the famed 13th-century poet-prophet

Thomas the Rhymer Sir Thomas de Ercildoun, better remembered as Thomas the Rhymer (fl. c. 1220 – 1298), also known as Thomas Learmont or True Thomas, was a Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston (then called "Erceldoune") in the Borders. Thomas ...

(also known as Thomas Learmonth). George was the brother of Peter-Patrick Learmonth (born about 1596), who was captured by the Poles whilst in Swedish service, fighting on behalf of

Muscovy Muscovy is an alternative name for the Grand Duchy of Moscow (1263–1547) and the Tsardom of Russia (1547–1721). It may also refer to: *Muscovy Company, an English trading company chartered in 1555 * Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') and Domes ...

during Russians hostilities with Poland 1614-1616. He then entered Polish service and commanded troops at Smolensk and Viazma in 1617/1618. Peter Learmont rejoined the Polish Army in 1648. George Learmonth was the son of Andrew Learmonth and the great-nephew of

George Learmonth of Balcomie George Learmonth of Balcomie (died 1585) was a Scottish landowner. He was the son of James Learmonth of Dairsie and Balcomie (d. 1547), who was Master of Household to James V of Scotland, and Katherine Ramsay. His home was Balcomie Castle in F ...

, who married before 1545 to Lady Euphene Leslie, a daughter of

George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes (2 Aug 1484 – 24 November 1558) was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat. George was the eldest son and heir of William Leslie, 3rd Earl of Rothes and Lord Leslie, who fell at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Geor ...

and Margaret Crichton (the daughter of

William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

). Lady Euphene was a sibling of Norman Leslie (b.c. 1518), who would well known for the murder of

Archbishop of St Andrews The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...

and the last Scottish

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

David Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scotland, Scottish Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal prior to the Scottish Reformation, Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest ...

. No records have survived concerning George's early career, but it is likely that he was swept up in his kinsman James Spens's large-scale recruiting campaign. George Learmonth probably entered Swedish service in 1610. Like Peter Learmonth, George probably served in the large Russian-Swedish army that was decisively defeated by a smaller Polish army at the battle of Klushino in June 1610. He had three sons: William, Andrey-Henry and Peter, who all served in the Russian army.D. Fedosov, The Caledonian Connection, Aberdeen, 1996 Their descendants, the

Lermontov Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (; russian: Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ˈjurʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈlʲɛrməntəf; – ) was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucas ...

noble family, included the 19th-century Romantic writer

Mikhail Lermontov Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (; russian: Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ˈjurʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈlʲɛrməntəf; – ) was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucas ...

Notes

References

* * 1590s births 1633 deaths Scottish mercenaries 17th-century soldiers 17th-century Scottish people Military personnel of the Tsardom of Russia 17th-century Russian military personnel Russian people of Scottish descent Russian people of the Smolensk War People from Fife {{Russia-mil-bio-stub