Sir John Ruthven (died c.1648) was a military officer who served in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

and

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...

before returning to the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

for brief service in the

English Civil Wars This is a list of civil wars that have occurred in the history of England. * Rebellion of 1088 – a civil war in England and Normandy concerning the division of lands in the Kingdom of England and the Duchy of Normandy between William Rufus and ...

. Ruthven served first as a captain in Danish service from 1627. As

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...

made peace with the Habsburg Emperor in 1629, Ruthven, along with many other Scottish soldiers in Danish service, then turned to Sweden to continue the war. He first appears in Swedish service in 1629 serving as a captain of the Scottish infantry at Stralsund under the command of

Alexander Leslie Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland be ...

. He was soon promoted lieutenant-colonel in Leslie's infantry regiment (by 1630) and led an infantry regiment in the Battle of Breitenfeld on 17 September 1631 as full colonel. He later took part in the

Battle of the Alte Veste The Battle of the Alte Veste was a significant battle of the Thirty Years' War. Background In the late summer of 1632 the army of Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus met Albrecht von Wallenstein near Nürnberg. The successes of Gustavus Adolphus ...

near Nuernberg on 3 September 1632, and later took part in the bloody conquest of Landsberg/Lech (Bavaria) under the command of

Lennart Torstensson Lennart Torstensson, Count of Ortala, Baron of Virestad (17 August 16037 April 1651), was a Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer. Early career He was born at Forstena manor in Västergötland. His parents were Märta Nilsdotter Posse a ...

. Ruthven was promoted to major-general by 1636 and took part in the

Battle of Wittstock The Battle of Wittstock took place during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). It was fought on 24 September (Julian calendar) or 4 October (Gregorian calendar) 1636. A Swedish-allied army commanded jointly by Johan Banér and Alexander Leslie ...

as de facto commander of the reserve when Major General Vitzthum refused orders to advance. Evidence from eye-witness accounts by the generals show that this was John and not his uncle Patrick Ruthven as sometimes claimed. In 1638 he sought permission to leave Swedish service in order to return to Scotland to participate in the

Bishops' Wars The 1639 and 1640 Bishops' Wars () were the first of the conflicts known collectively as the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which took place in Scotland, England and Ireland. Others include the Irish Confederate Wars, the First and ...

under his uncle's command. John Ruthven appears to have not taken part in any of the action in this conflict, but did hold the king's commission in his uncle's regiment. When the Civil Wars broke out in England in 1642, John Ruthven appears to have retired from service, and did not join his uncle's retinue in England. He married Barbara Leslie, the eldest daughter of Alexander Leslie.Murdoch & Grosjean (2014), p.121 In 1663, his son Francis Ruthven and his wife Elizabeth Ruthven (daughter of

Thomas Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven of Freeland Thomas Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven (died 6 May 1671) was the son of William Ruthven of Freeland by his wife Isabella Fotheringham, and a great-great-grandson of William Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven. In January 1651 he was created Lord Ruthven of Freelan ...

) had Isobell Ruthven, the future Lady of Freeland.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruthven, John Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Knights Bachelor

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

Scottish generals Scottish mercenaries Swedish generals Scottish people of the Thirty Years' War

See also

References