Elizabeth Gordon, Heiress of Gordon († 1439), Scottish baroness and

progenitress In genealogy, a progenitor (rarer: primogenitor; or ''Ahnherr'') is the founder (sometimes one that is legendary) of a family, line of descent, gens, clan, tribe, noble house, or ethnic group.. Ebenda''Ahnherr:''"Stammvater eines Geschlech ...

of the Gordon Earls and Marquesses of Huntly.

Life

Elizabeth Gordon was the daughter of Elizabeth Keith, daughter of William Keith, Marischal of Scotland. and

Adam de Gordon, Lord of Gordon Sir Adam de Gordon (1273–1333), lord of Gordon, was a Scottish statesman and soldier. Ancestry Gordon was the son and heir of Adam de Gordon of Gordon in Berwickshire. His great-grandfather, likewise Adam de Gordon, was the younger son of an A ...

The Gordons were originally from Normandy, the founder of the family coming to Scotland in the twelfth century, probably in the train of

David I of Scotland David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Scottish Gaelic, Modern Gaelic: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th century ruler and saint who was David I as Prince of the Cumbrians, Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 112 ...

, and received a grant of the lands of Gordon in Berkshire. See: Robert Seton, ''An old family: or, The Setons of Scotland and America'' (New York: Brentano's, 1899), pp. 49-50. Elizabeth, underage at the time of her father's death in 1402, was a

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

of Walter Haliburton of Dirleton. Sir William Seton purchased her wardship on 7 March 1408 for a

liferent Liferent, or life-rent, in Scots law is the right to receive for life the benefits of a property or other asset without the right to dispose of the property or the asset. Where the property is held in fee simple, the owner is termed the fiar. ...

of 50

merks The merk () is a long-obsolete Scotland, Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a Mark (currency), money mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 1 ...

from the barony of

Tranent Tranent is a town in East Lothian (formerly Haddingtonshire), in the south-east of Scotland. Tranent lies 6 miles from the boundary of Edinburgh, and 9.1 miles from the city centre. It lies south of the A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road that r ...

. Sir William betrothed her to his eldest son Sir John Seton but he declined preferring a daughter of the Earl of March; Elizabeth was then married to his younger brother, Alexander Seton, who in 1406 was a prisoner along with the future king

James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, 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 of Scotland, Robert III and ...

.''The records of Aboyne MCCXXX-MDCLXXXI'', ed. Charles Gordon Huntly (Aberdeen: The New Spalding Club, 1894), p. 372 Huntly Castle

Elizabeth and Alexander wed in 1408.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. 1 He acquired through his marriage to Elizabeth Gordon the lands of

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Gordon Heuck ...

and

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 ...

, confirmed to them on 20 July 1408. This was according to custom of the time that Elizabeth Gordon, of her own free will, resigned her lands before Parliament at

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

and she and the Regent Albany issued a new charter of "All and whole of the lands and baronies of Gordon and Huntly lying within the sheriffdom of Berwick; the lands of Fogo and Faunes with their pertinents; the lands of Strathbogie and Beldygordon with the pertinents in Aberdeenshire; to be held by the said Alexander and Elizabeth and their heirs lawfully procreated; whom failing the true and lawful heirs of the said Elizabeth whomsoever; rendering the services used and wont." Three years later, Alexander fought at the

Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw () was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the wes ...

and was knighted before 1419.''

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. 519 In 1421–2 he traveled to France and visited King James of Scotland. Alexander Seton was one of those who negotiated for the release of the Scottish monarch and was a hostage for his king, but was released after a year in England to return to his family in Scotland. In that same year Elizabeth and Alexander were granted a charter for half the lands of Culclarochy and part of Gerry in the barony of Drumblade. About 1436 Elizabeth's husband, Alexander was created a

Lord of Parliament A Lord of Parliament () was the holder of the lowest form of peerage, entitled as of right to take part in sessions of the pre- Union Parliament of Scotland. Since that Union in 1707, it has been the lowest rank of the Peerage of Scotland, ran ...

as Alexander Seton, Lord Gordon. In 1428, Elizabeth and Alexander were granted a dispensation from the pope long after their marriage when it was determined they were within the forbidden degrees of

consanguinity Consanguinity (from Latin '':wikt: consanguinitas, consanguinitas'' 'blood relationship') is the characteristic of having a kinship with a relative who is descended from a common ancestor. Many jurisdictions have laws prohibiting people who are ...

; the dispensation stating that Elizabeth, the heiress of Gordon had contracted marriage with Alexander Seton, ''"per verba de presenti publici, juxta morem patriae"'' (Latin: publicly in accordance with all customs of the time). Elizabeth died at Strathbogie on 16 March 1439 while Alexander died in 1440–41.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), pp. 2, 43 Elizabeth was buried at St. Nicholas Church in Aberdeen.''

'', ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol. IV (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1907), p. 521

Family

The children of Alexander Seton and Elizabeth Gordon were: * Alexander Seton († 1470), succeeded his parents, took the name of Gordon and was created 1st

Earl of Huntly Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English ma ...

* William Seton († 1452), married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of William Meldrum of Meldrum, ancestor of the Setons of Meldrum * Henry Seton († 1452) killed with his brother William at the

Battle of Brechin The Battle of Brechin was fought on 18 May 1452 during the reign of James II of Scotland, about two and a half miles north north east of Brechin. It has been regarded as part of the civil war during his reign between the king and an alliance of ...

* Elizabeth Seton, married to

Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald (died 1449; ) was a medieval Scottish nobleman who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles (1423–1449), later rising to the rank of Earl of Ross (1436–49). His lively career, ...

(† 1449)

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Elizabeth Year of birth missing 1439 deaths Nobility from Aberdeenshire 14th-century Scottish women 15th-century Scottish women

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...