Sir John Gordon, 1st Baronet, of Haddo

Sir John Gordon, 1st Baronet (1610 – 19 July 1644) was a Scottish Royalist supporter of Charles I during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Created a baronet in 1642 for his services, he was forced to surrender by the Covenanters in 1644 and was subsequently beheaded for treason.

John was the son of George Gordon (eldest son of James Gordon of Haddo and Methlick), and Margaret, daughter of Sir Alexander Bannerman. George predeceased his father, and John succeeded to his grandfather's estates on the latter's death in November 1624.cite book | title=The Scottish Nation v. 2 | first=William | last=Anderson | publisher=A. Fullarton & Co. | year=1877 | page=327 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=zyYNAAAAYAAJ | accessdate=2008-02-14]

Career

In 1639, Gordon was appointed by Charles I second-in-command of the forces raised against the Covenanters, under the Marquess of Huntly. He took part in the skirmish at Turriff in 1639, where the Royal forces dispersed a gathering of the Covenanters. Gordon was made a baronet on 13 August 1642 for his role in this affair, an honour which rendered him further odious to the Covenanters. The Covenanting convention issued a warrant for his apprehension in November 1643, and the sheriff of Aberdeen attempted to seize him at his house in Kellie in January 1644. Gordon, however, was not present and escaped capture.

When Huntly raised an army for the King that year, Sir John again joined him, and both were excommunicated by the General Assembly in April. Huntly was forced to retreat, but Sir John tried to hold Kellie against a powerful army led by the "glied Argyll". Promised honourable terms of surrender by his cousin, Earl Marischal, then in Argyll's army, Gordon capitulated on 8 May 1644. Argyll released most of the garrison, but held Gordon and a few officers and plundered Kellie in violation of his terms, much to Marischal's dissatisfaction.cite web | url=http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/families/gordons_methlic.htm | title=The Gordons of Methlic | accessdate=2008-02-14]

Gordon was brought to Edinburgh and imprisoned in part of St. Giles' Cathedral, which thereby acquired the name of "Haddo's Hole". He was tried for high treason against the Estates for his actions in 1639, and for maintaining a garrison against the Covenanting armies. Gordon defended himself on the grounds that his actions at Turriff had been pardoned under the Pacification of Berwick, and that he had had the King's authority in his deeds, to no avail. He was found guilty and beheaded at the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh on 19 July 1644.

Family

He married Mary Forbes, daughter of William Forbes of Tolquhon, in 1630, and had issue:
*Sir John Gordon, 2nd Baronet, of Haddo (c1632-1665)
*George Gordon, 1st Earl of Aberdeen (1637-1720)
*Janet Gordon (b. c1644)

References