Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (died 1524) was a Scottish nobleman. He was a member of Parliament, a member of the Privy Council, a regent and Lieutenant of the kingdom.

Biography

He was the son of

George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly (died 8 June 1501) was a Scottish nobleman and Chancellor of Scotland from 1498 to 1501. Life George was the son of Alexander (Seton) Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly and his second wife Elizabeth Crichton, daughter ...

and his second wife, Princess

Annabella of Scotland Annabella of Scotland ( – 1509), was a Scottish princess, a member of the House of Stewart and by her two marriages Countess of Geneva and Countess of Huntly. Both of her marriages were annulled, the first without being consummated and the ...

, the youngest daughter of King

James I of Scotland James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of ...

.There has been some uncertainty regarding Alexander's mother, whether she was Annabella Stewart (m. to Geo. Gordon –1471) or Elizabeth Hay (m. 1471–1501). The fact that his father married Elizabeth Hay after 18 Aug 1471 P, vi, 677 & n. b.and that Alexander himself was a member of parliament as well as being one of the

Lords of the Articles The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council of ...

in 1485 makes it chronologically implausible he could have been Elizabeth's son. Logic dictates he could not have held these positions of authority at age 13 or less. See: SP, IV, 529, 532; CP, VI, 677 n. f.George Edward Cokayne, ''The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its members from the earliest times'', Vol. VI, eds. H. A. Doubleday: Howard de Walden (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1926), p. 677 As a favorite of King James IV of Scotland,''

The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland ''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...

'', ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol. IV (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1907), p. 532 he acquired considerable grants of land throughout his career. In 1500, he was made hereditary

sheriff of Inverness The Sheriff of Inverness was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order and bringing criminals to justice in Inverness, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the J ...

, giving him considerable powers throughout the north of Scotland, and a year later, in June 1501 succeeded his father as the 3rd Earl of Huntly. He witnessed the marriage contract of James IV in 1503 and was engaged in quelling disturbances in the Isles in 1505. In 1509, he was awarded the

comital Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

''Lordship of

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creatio ...

''. Alexander fought in the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

on 9 September 1513, where he commanded the Scots left wing and was one of the fortunate few Scottish noblemen who escaped with their lives. He was a member of the

council of Regency A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...

in 1517 during the minority of King

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and du ...

and was appointed King's Lieutenant over all of Scotland excepting Argyle in 1517–18. He was a supporter of the

Duke of Albany Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover. History The Dukedom of Albany was first granted ...

in his dispute with the

Earl of Angus The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son. Histor ...

. Alexander died on 21 January 1524 at

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

, and was buried in the choir of the church of the Blackfriars monastery.''Perth, the Ancient Capital of Scotland: The Story of Perth from the Invasion of Agricola to the Passing of the Reform Bill in 2 volumes''
– Samuel Cowan J.P. (1904), chapter 3 The same year he was succeeded by his grandson,

George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (151428 October 1562) was a Scottish nobleman. Life He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV and Margaret Drummond. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estat ...

Family

Alexander Gordon married by contract on 20 October 1474, Lady Jean Stewart, daughter of

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (15 September 1512), also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny, was a Scottish nobleman and ambassador. Life He was the oldest child of Joan Beaufort, widow of James I of Scotland, and her second husband, Sir ...

and Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (c. 1391 – 26 June 1439) was a Scottish nobleman and general during the Hundred Years' War. Life Douglas was the son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter o ...

. Alexander and Jean had the following children: * Hon. John Gordon, Lord Gordon (died 1517), was the father of

. * Hon. Alexander Gordon of Strathavon, married Janet Grant and had issue.''

'', ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol. IV (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1907), p. 533 * Hon. William Gordon, Bishop of Aberdeen * Lady Jean (or Janet) Gordon, married

Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll (c. 1486 – 9 October 1529) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier. He was also known as "Cailen Malloch". Life Colin Campbell was the son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll and Lady Elizabeth Stuart ...

and Duncan Stewart, heir apparent to Allan Stewart of Appin * Lady Christian Gordon, married Sir Robert de

Menzies Menzies is a Scottish surname, with Gaelic forms being Méinnearach and Méinn, and other variant forms being Menigees, Mennes, Mengzes, Menzeys, Mengies, and Minges. Derivation and history The name and its Gaelic form are probably derived f ...

. * Lady Marjory Gordon, married Thomas Lumsden, the Younger of Cushnie, who was killed at the

. After the death of his first wife, Alexander Gordon married Elizabeth Gray, daughter of

Andrew Gray, 2nd Lord Gray Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

and Janet Keith, some time after 27 July 1511. She built a house for herself in Perth, which passed into the ownership of the Ruthven family, and was known as Gowrie House. It was demolished in 1807.James Scott, ''A History of the Life and Death of John, Earl of Gowrie'' (Edinburgh, 1818), pp. 168-172.

Notes

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Huntly, Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of 3 15th-century births 1524 deaths Year of birth unknown 16th-century Scottish peers