Marquess of Huntly is a title in the

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland (; ) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union 1707, Treaty of Union, the Kingdom of Scots and the ...

that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing

marquess A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...

ate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, 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 Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

; only the English marquessate of Winchester is older. The Marquess holds the following subsidiary titles: Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet and Earl of Aboyne (1660; Peerage of Scotland), and Baron Meldrum, of Morven in the County of Aberdeen (1815; Peerage of the United Kingdom).

Early family history

The Gordon family descends from Sir Adam Gordon of

Huntly Huntly ( or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlements include Keith ...

, killed at the Battle of Humbleton Hill in 1402 and succeeded in his estates by his daughter Elizabeth Gordon, wife of Alexander Seton, who assumed the surname of Gordon for himself and "all his heirs male." He was created Earl of Huntly in the Peerage of Scotland in 1445 and was succeeded by his son, the second Earl, who served as

Lord Chancellor of Scotland The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally titled Lord High Chancellor, was an Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland. The Lord Chancellor was the principal Great Officer of State, the presiding officer of the Parliament of Scotland, the K ...

from 1498 to 1501. His younger son, the Hon. Adam Gordon, married Elizabeth, ''

suo jure ''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...

'' Countess of Sutherland. Their grandson, John Gordon, succeeded his grandmother in the earldom in 1535 (see

Earl of Sutherland Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is al ...

for further history about this branch of the family). Lord Huntly's elder son, the third Earl, was a member of the Council of Regency in 1517. He was succeeded by his grandson, the fourth Earl, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1546 to 1562, who was killed in the latter year, and in 1563 an Act of Attainder was passed through Parliament with all his titles forfeited. His eldest surviving son, George Gordon, was condemned to death for treason in 1563 but later pardoned. He obtained a reversal of his father's attainder in 1567 and served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland. George Gordon, became the 1st Marquess, he was the son of the 5th earl; born in 1562, educated in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

as a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

. He was part of a plot to conspire against

King James VI 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 worked as captain of the guard of Holyrood before the discovery of treason. He went about clan feuds and started a private war, this inspired the ballad The Bonnie Earl O' Moray. He was succeeded by his son. Earl of Enzie and Marquess of Huntly in the Peerage of Scotland. His son was raised protestant in England; in the civil war he became a royalist and in 1647 was given a pardon for his actions, yet later beheaded. He was succeeded by his elder son, the second Marquess.

17th century onward

In 1632, four years before his father's death, the seventh Earl was created Viscount Aboyne in the Peerage of Scotland in his own right, with remainder that the title should be passed on to his second son the Hon. James Gordon on his death or on the death of his father, whichever came first. When he died two years later the titles passed to his son, the third Marquess. In 1661 the attainder of 1649 was revoked by Act of Parliament. In 1684 Lord Huntly was created Lord Badenoch, Lochaber, Strathavon, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, Viscount of Inverness, Earl of Huntly and Enzie and Duke of Gordon. All four titles were in the Peerage of Scotland. He was succeeded by his son, the second Duke. He was a supporter of the Old Pretender. Gordon married Lady Henrietta, daughter of Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough and 8th Baron Mordaunt. Their eldest son, the third Duke, sat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

as a

Scottish representative peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the unicameral Parliament of Scotland, where all Scottish Peers had been entit ...

from 1747 to 1752. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fourth Duke. Known as " Cock o' the North", he was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1767 to 1784 and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire and as

Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland The keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ''Neach-gleidhidh Seula Mòr na h-Alba'') is one of the great officers of state in Scotland held concurrently with the post of first minister of Scotland. The office holder is the keeper ...

. In 1784 he was created Baron Gordon of Huntley, in the County of Gloucester, and Earl of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself repla ...

. Gordon's great-grandfather, the first Duke, was the husband of Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Lord Henry Howard, who had been created Baron Howard of Castle Rising in 1669 and Earl of Norwich in 1672. The earldom of Norwich had become extinct on the death of the fourth Earl (also the ninth Duke of Norfolk) in 1777 and was now revived in Gordon's favour. In 1819 Gordon also inherited the barony of Mordaunt through his grandmother. His son, the fifth Duke, was a general in the Army and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire and as Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. In 1807 he was summoned to the House of Lords through a

writ of acceleration A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his fathe ...

in his father's junior title of Baron Gordon of Huntley. Gordon died without legitimate issue in 1836 when the dukedom and remaining titles created in 1684 as well as the titles created in 1784 became extinct. The barony of Mordaunt fell into

abeyance Abeyance (from the Old French ' meaning "gaping") describes a state of temporary dormancy or suspension. In law, it can refer to a situation where the ownership of property, titles, or office is not currently Vesting, vested in any specific perso ...

between his sisters. Gordon's eldest sister, Lady Charlotte Gordon, inherited the Gordon estates. Her son

Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond, (''né'' Lennox; 3 August 179121 October 1860), styled the Earl of March from 1806–19, was a Scottish peer, soldier and prominent Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. Upon the death of ...

, assumed the additional surname of Gordon. In 1875, the dukedom of Gordon was revived when his son Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, was made Duke of Gordon in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...

(see the

Duke of Richmond Duke of Richmond is a title in the Peerage of England that has been created four times in British history. It has been held by members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families. The current dukedom of Richmond was created in 1675 for Charles ...

for further history of these titles). The Duke of Gordon was succeeded in the marquessate of Huntly by his kinsman George Gordon, 5th Earl of Aboyne, who became the ninth Marquess (see the

Earl of Aboyne The title of Earl of Aboyne in the Peerage of Scotland is held by the Gordon family, with the heir apparent to the Marquessate of Huntly using it as a courtesy title. The peerage title of Earl of Aboyne was originally created in September 1660 ...

for earlier history of this branch of the family). However, the House of Lords did not allow his claims to the lordship of Gordon of Badenoch and earldom of Enzie (although they had been created at the same time as the marquessate) while his claim to the ancient earldom of Huntly was also overlooked. Lord Huntly, who also held the subsidiary title of Lord Gordon of Strahaven and Glenlivet, had earlier been a Scottish Representative Peer from 1796 to 1807. In 1815 he had been created Baron Meldrum, of Morven in the County of Aberdeen, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was succeeded by his son, the tenth Marquess. He represented

East Grinstead East Grinstead () is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the northeast corner of the county, bord ...

and

Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire (; abbreviated Hunts) is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England, which was historically a county in its own right. It borders Peterborough to the north, Fenland to the north-east, East Cambridgeshire to the e ...

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire. His eldest son, the eleventh Marquess, was a Liberal politician and served briefly under

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in 1881. He was succeeded by his great-nephew, the twelfth Marquess. He was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel (Granville Cecil) Douglas Gordon (1883–1930), son of Granville Armyn Gordon (1856–1907), sixth son of the tenth Marquess. the titles are held by the twelfth Marquess' son, Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly, 9th Earl of Aboyne, 9th Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet and 5th Baron Meldrum, who succeeded in 1987. He is Chief of

Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...

. Before the passing of the

Peerage Act 1963 The Peerage Act 1963 (c. 48) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits female hereditary peers and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed. ...

, which granted all Scottish peers a seat in the House of Lords, the Marquesses of Huntly sat in the House of Lords in virtue of their junior title of Baron Meldrum, which was in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Other family members

Several other members of the Gordon family have also gained distinction. Lord John Gordon, younger son of the first Marquess, was created Viscount Melgum in 1627. However, he perished in the Fire of Frendraught and thus, the title became extinct in 1630. Lord Adam Gordon (died 1801), younger son of the second Duke, was a general in the Army. Lord William Gordon (1744–1823), second son of the third Duke, was a

vice-admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of vic ...

in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

Lord George Gordon Lord George Gordon (26 December 1751 – 1 November 1793) was a British nobleman and politician best known for lending his name to the Gordon Riots of 1780. An eccentric and flighty personality, he was born into the Peerage of Scotland, Scottis ...

, third and youngest son of the third Duke, sat as Member of Parliament for Ludgershall but is best remembered as the instigator of the Gordon Riots. Charles Gordon (1798–1878), illegitimate son of the fifth Duke, was an admiral in the Royal Navy. Lord John Frederick Gordon (1799–1878), third son of the ninth Marquess, was an admiral in the Royal Navy. He married Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, daughter of

King William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...

by his mistress Dorothy Jordan. Laurence George Frank Gordon (1864–1943), grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Francis Arthur Gordon (1808–1857), sixth son of the ninth Marquess, was a brigadier-general in the Army. Lord Douglas Gordon, fourth son of the tenth Marquess, was Member of Parliament for

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...

. The family seat is

Aboyne Castle Aboyne Castle is a 13th-century castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland north of the town of Aboyne (Grid Reference NO5299). The location of Aboyne Castle was selected for its strategic position near the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, River Dee and contr ...

. The family also previously owned

Huntly Castle Huntly Castle is a ruined castle north of Huntly, Scotland, Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where the rivers River Deveron, Deveron and River Bogie, Bogie meet. It was the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly. There hav ...

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...

Earls of Huntly (1445)

Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Huntly (died 15 July 1470), who adopted the family name of Gordon from about 1457, was a powerful 15th-century Scottish magnate. He was knighted in 1439/1440 and was Lord of Badenoch, Gordon, Strathbogie and Cluny. ...

() * George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly () * Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly () *

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 esta ...

(1514–1562) (forfeit 1563) * George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly (died 1576) (restored 1565) * George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly (1562–1636) (created Marquess of Huntly, Lord Gordon of Badenoch, and Earl of Enzie in 1599)

Marquesses of Huntly (1599)

George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly (156213 June 1636) was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century, and around the time of the Union of the Crowns. Biography The son ...

, 6th Earl of Huntly (1562–1636) *

George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly (c. 1592March 1649), styled Earl of Enzie from 1599 to 1636, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly by Lady Henrietta Stewart, daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, born at Huntly Cast ...

, 7th Earl of Huntly (1592–1649) *

Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly Lewis Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Huntly (c. 1626–1653) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the third son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly. Biography Born when his father was commander of the Garde Écossaise, he was named after Louis XIII of ...

, 8th Earl of Huntly (–1653) * George Gordon, 4th Marquess of Huntly, 9th Earl of Huntly (1649–1716) (created Duke of Gordon in 1684)

Dukes of Gordon (1684)

* George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon, 4th Marquess of Huntly, 9th Earl of Huntly (1649–1716) * Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon, 5th Marquess of Huntly, 10th Earl of Huntly () * Cosmo George Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon, 6th Marquess of Huntly, 11th Earl of Huntly (–1752) * Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, 7th Marquess of Huntly, 12th Earl of Huntly (1743–1827) * George Duncan Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon, 8th Marquess of Huntly, 13th Earl of Huntly (1770–1836)

Marquesses of Huntly (1599; Reverted)

George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly, (28 June 1761 – 17 June 1853), styled Lord Strathavon until 1795 and Earl of Aboyne from 1795 to 1836, was a Scotland, Scottish peer and soldier. Early life George was the son of Charles Gordon, 4th Ear ...

, 14th Earl of Huntly, 5th Earl of Aboyne, 1st Baron Meldrum (1761–1853) (Created Baron Meldrum in 1815) * Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly, 15th Earl of Huntly, 6th Earl of Aboyne, 2nd Baron Meldrum (1792–1863) *

Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly, PC, DL, JP (5 March 1847 – 20 February 1937), styled Lord Strathavon until 1853 and Earl of Aboyne between 1853 and 1863, was a Scottish Liberal politician. He served under William Ewart Gladstone, ...

, 16th Earl of Huntly, 7th Earl of Aboyne, 3rd Baron Meldrum (1847–1937) *Douglas Charles Lindsey Gordon, 12th Marquess of Huntly, 17th Earl of Huntly, 8th Earl of Aboyne, 4th Baron Meldrum (1908–1987) * Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly, 18th Earl of Huntly, 9th Earl of Aboyne, 5th Baron Meldrum () The

heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

is the present holder's only son,

Alastair Gordon, Earl of Aboyne Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquis of Huntly (born 4 February 1944), styled Earl of Aboyne until 1987, is a Scottish peer and the Premier Marquess of Scotland. He was a hereditary member of the House of Lords from 1987 to 1999. Early ...

(born 1973). The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son Cosmo Alistair Gordon, Lord Strathavon ().

Succession and family tree

* ''Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly (1792–1863)'' ** ''Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly (1847–1937)'' **''Lord Granville Armyne Gordon (1856–1907)'' ***''Granville Cecil Douglas Gordon (1883–1930)'' **** ''Douglas Gordon, 12th Marquess of Huntly (1908–1987)'' ***** Granville Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly (born 1944) ******(1). Alastair Gordon, Earl of Aboyne (born 1973) *******(2). Cosmo Gordon, Lord Strathavon and Glenlivet (born 2009) ****'' Lord Adam Granville Gordon (1909–1984)'' *****''Adam Alexander Gordon (1948–2011)'' ******(3). Alexander Charles Adam Gordon (born 1989) *****(4). Douglas Herriot Gordon (born 1951) ******(5). James Adam Anthony Gordon (born 1991) ****''Lord Roderic Amyne Gordon (1914–1996)'' *****(6). David Esme Douglas Gordon (born 1937) *****(7). Angus Lindsay Eustace Gordon (born 1942) ****''Lord Douglas Claude Alexander Gordon (1916–1994)'' *****(8). Andrew Granville Douglas Gordon (born 1942) ******(9). Andrew David Gervais Gordon (born 1963) ******(10). James Bruce Douglas Gordon (born 1965) ******(11). Glen Gordon (born 1984) *****(12). Douglas Geordie Alexander Gordon (born 1947) ******(13). Thomas Peter Douglas Gordon (born 1979) *******(14). Jake Harry George Gordon (born 2012) ******(15). James Alexander Douglas Gordon (born 1984)

Notes

References

Sources

* *

External links

* *, Aaron McGregor, violin; Alice Allen, cello, Concerto Caledonia directed by David McGuinness {{DEFAULTSORT:Huntly Marquessates in the Peerage of Scotland House of Gordon Noble titles created in 1599