Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar (died 1628) was a Scottish landowner, courtier, and promoter of colonies in Nova Scotia. He was a son of

John Gordon of Lochinvar Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar and Kenmure (died 1604), was a Scottish courtier, landowner, and supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of Sir James Gordon of Lochinvar and Margaret Crichton. On 20 August 1547 his sister Janet Gordon (die ...

and his second wife Elizabeth Maxwell, a daughter of John Maxwell 4th

Lord Herries Lord Herries of Terregles (pronounced "''Heh''-reez of Ter-regulls'") is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1490 for Herbert Herries with remainder to his heirs general. On the death of his grandson, William, 3rd ...

. His homes were

Lochinvar Lochinvar (or Lan Var) is a loch in the civil parish of Dalry in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway Scotland. It is located in the Galloway Hills, around north-east of St. John's Town of Dalry. The loch formerly h ...

and

Kenmure Castle Kenmure Castle is a fortified house or castle in The Glenkens, south of the town of New Galloway in Kirkcudbrightshire, Galloway, south-west Scotland. The site was occupied from the Middle Ages, and the house incorporates part of a 17th-century c ...

. Lochinvar was knighted at the coronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590. He was involved in scandal in June 1608. He was accused of killing his manservant. The servant was said to have been overfamiliar with his wife, Elizabeth Ruthven. It was also alleged that Gordon had invented this story of his wife's infidelity in order to divorce her and marry another woman. He was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

. He was the Robert Gordon who competed at the Arthurian-themed tournament in January 1610 for

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

called Prince Henry's barriers. The combat took place in the old Banqueting Hall at

Whitehall Palace The Palace of Whitehall (also spelt White Hall) at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, except notably Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, were destroyed by fire. Hen ...

. The Scottish historian Robert Johnston mentions Lochinvar's physical prowess and participation at the Prince's tournament, taking a palm of victory as a runners' up prize. The letter writer John Chamberlain said that Gordon won a prize, "more in favour of the cottishnation than for any due desert". Robert Gordon of Lochinvar joined schemes for the establishment of colonies in North America. He obtained a charter for a barony of Galloway in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

on 8 November 1621. In 1625 he published a tract on the subject entitled ''Encouragements for such as shall have intention to bee Undertakers in the new plantation of Cape Briton ... By mee Lochinvar'' (Edinburgh, 1625). He probably encouraged subsequent landings by Scots at Baleine on

Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18. ...

, led by

James Stewart, 4th Lord Ochiltree James Stewart, 4th Lord Ochiltree (died 1658) was a 17th-century Scottish noble. He was the son of James Stewart, Earl of Arran and Elizabeth Stewart. He was baptised 14 March 1583 with James VI of Scotland and the Duke of Lennox as godparents. ...

. Lochinvar is sometimes confused with his contemporary

Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...

, who was a gentleman of the king's privy chamber, and also acquired a Nova Scotia knighthood and lands in Nova Scotia. He died in November 1628.

Marriage and family

Lochinvar married Elizabeth Ruthven, a daughter of

William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, 4th Lord of Ruthven (c. 1541May 1584) was a Scottish peer known for devising the Raid of Ruthven. Life and career William Ruthven was born in 1541 in Ruthven Castle, in Perthshire, Scotland, the son of Patr ...

and Dorothea Stewart. Her sisters Barbara and Beatrix Ruthven were favourites of

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

. Their children included: *

John Gordon, 1st Viscount of Kenmure John Gordon, 1st Viscount of Kenmure (1599–1634) was a Scottish nobleman, renowned Presbyterian, and founder of the town of New Galloway. Biography Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar (as he was known before his ennoblement) was the eldest son of Si ...

* Robert Gordon of Gelston * Elizabeth Gordon, who married James Douglas, Lord Torthorwald, a son of

James Douglas of Parkhead James Douglas of Parkhead (died 1608) was a Scottish landowner. He was a son of George Douglas of Parkhead and Marion Douglas. Douglas married Elizabeth Carlyle, daughter of Lord Carlyle of Torthorwald, William, Master of Carlyle. She was an he ...

and Elizabeth Carlyle They divorced in 1609 and Elizabeth Ruthven married Hugh Campbell of Loudoun,

Lord Loudoun General John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun (5 May 1705 – 27 April 1782) was a Scottish nobleman and British army officer. Early career Born in Scotland two years before the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain, in which his father Hugh ...

(d. 1622). She died in 1617.David Laing, ''Royal Letters, Charters, and Tracts: Relating to the Colonization of New Scotland and Nova Scotia'' (Edinburgh, 1867), p. 109.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorgdon, Robert 17th-century Scottish people 16th-century Scottish people Court of James VI and I Baronets in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia 1628 deaths