Sir Alexander SETON GORDON 1st Earl of Huntly [7409] 1598
- Born: January 1410, Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland 1598
- Marriage (1): Lady Elizabeth CRICHTON of Crichton - Countess of Huntly [7410] on 18 March 1440 in Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland 1750
- Died: 15 July 1470, Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland at age 60 1598
- Buried: 26 July 1470, Elgin, Elginshire, Scotland 1598
FamilySearch ID: 9JJ1-XWN.
General Notes:
Sir Alexander Seton, eldest son of sir Alexander Seton and Elizabeth Gordon, succeeded his father before 3 April 1441.
He is mentioned on record in 1427 and 1438 in connection with his first marriage. It was probably he who in 1435 was one of the Scottish gentlemen who attended the Princess Margaret of Scotland on her voyage to France to marry the Dauphin. The Chronicler describes him as 'Master of Gordon.'
He is styled Alexander of Seton, Master of Gordon, Lord of Tullibody, when, on 20 February 1439-40, he stood up in a General council at Edinburgh and protested that none of the writs made by his mother or grandfather should prejudice himself. But in a charter three days later, 23 February 1439-40, relating to the same matter, he is designed sir Alexander Seton of Tullibody, and heir of Elizabeth Gordon, late lady of that Ilk, when he confirmed an excambion made between the deceased Sir William Keith and Margaret Fraser (his grandparents) and the deceased William Lindsay, Lord of Byres, of certain lands in exchange for Dunottar.
On 3 April 1441 Sir Alexander Seton resigned his lands in the King's hands and received a charter to himself and Elizabeth [Crichton], his spouse, of the lordships of Gordon, co. Berwidk, and Strathbogie, co. Aberdeen, the lands of Aboyne, Glentanner, and Glenmuick, all in Aberdeenshire, with Panbride in co. Forfar, to be possessed by Sir Alexander in liferent, and by George of Seton their son in fee, and the lawful Heirs-male of his body.
The lands of Aboyne, Glentanner, Glenmuick, and Panbride had belonged to his mother, through his grandmother, Elizabeth Keith, 'Lady of Aboyne,' and a dispute arose between Sir Alexander and his kinsman Sir William Keith, the Marischal of Scotland. The parties and their friends met at Cluny on 1 August 1442, where an amicable arrangement was come to, and Seton bound himself to fulfil a contract (date not stated) formerly made between his father, his mother, and himself on one side, and Sir William Keith and his wife Mary on the other side.
About the same period, or in 1444, he made a friendly arrangement with James Forbes, younger of that Ilk, as to certain lands. He also had a grant for life of the barony of Kinedward from Alexander, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles.
Sir Alexander Seton was, in or about 1445, raised to the Peerage as EARL OF HUNTLY. This honour was conferred on him some time between 30 October 1444 and July 1445. Bower states positively that he was created Earl of Huntly in 1445, without naming the exact date, but it may have been in the June Parliament of that year, as on 3 July he witnesses a charter to James, Lord Hamilton where he appears as the latest Earl, after Moray and Ormond, created in the same year. ...
During the next few years he appears as taking part in local affairs, and in January 1449-50 he had another charter of the same lands and baronies as before to himself and his heirs by Elizabeth his Countess. ... Later he attended at court, and seems to have lent money to the King. Perhaps as a reward for such services, he received a charter, on 28 April 1451, of the lordship of Badenoch and Castle of Ruthven, which refute the statement that they were granted for his conduct at the battle of Brechin. This conflict took place in the following year ... The parties met at Brechin, where a fierce conflict ensued in which Huntly was victorious, though he lost many men and two of his brothers. ... In 1454, notwithstanding the defeat of a party of his followers at Dunkinty, Huntly regained the upper hand, and the Douglas faction in the North were entirely overcome.
He seems to have changed the family name from Seton to Gordon about this time. In a remission to him and his son on 7 March 1456-57, the latter is styled George Seton. But in the following writ, George and his brothers are named Gordons.
In 1458, the Earl and his Countess again resigned their lands, the earldom of Huntly, comprehending Strathbogie, Aboyne, Glentanner, and Glenmuick in Aberdeenshir, the lordship of Badenoch in Inverness, Enzie in Banffshire, Gordon and Huntly in Berwickshire; and on 15 March 1457-58, King James II regranted the lands to the Earl for his lifetime, with remainder to George de Gordon, his son, and the Lawful heirs-male of his body; whom failing, to Alexander de Gordon, brother-german of George, and his lawful heirs-male; whom failing to William de Gordon, brother of Alexander, and his lawful heirs-male; whom failing to the lawful heirs-male of the body of the Earl; whom all failing, to the true, lawful, and nearest heirs of the said George de Gordon whomsoever.
After this the Earl does not appear often on record. ...
According to Ferrerius, the Earl died at Huntly on 15 july 1470, and was buried in the cathedral church of Elgin.
(1) The first Earl of Huntly married, on or about 8 January 1426-27, Egidia, daughter and heiress of John Hay of Tullibody. On that day, King James I granted to Alexander Seton and Egidia Hay, whom he shall marry, the barony of Tullibody, the forests of Boyne and Enzie, and barony of Kilsaurle, with the lands of Kinmundy in the barony of Kinedward.
The marriage was annulled some years later, it is said, at the instance of Sir William Chrichton, afterwards chancellor, though he was not actually Chancellor when the separation took place, before 26 November 1438, when Egidia Hay granted to her 'cousin' Sir Alexander Seton the lands of Tullibody, but came into office in the following April or May.
(2) Seton married, secondly, the Chancellor's daughter, Elizabeth Crichton, and on 18 March 1439-40 the spouses had a charter limiting the entail of the estates to their children only, with remainder (in case of a divorce) to Alexander's heirs whomsoever. Elizabeth Crichton survived her husband, and was alive in 1471. It is said by Ferrerius that she died 9 July 1479.
The first Earl of Huntly had issue:
1. Alexander Seton, son of the first marriage, who inherited his mother's estates ...
2. George, second Earl of Huntly.
3. Sir Alexander of Midmar, afterwards of Abergeldie. ...
4. Adam, Dean of Caithness, who had several natural sons, and a daughter ...
5. William, named after Alexander, and described a brother of Alexander in the charter ...
6. Margaret, contracted, before 9 November 1457, to Nicholas, second Earl of Erroll, but for some reason, perhaps her death, the marriage did not take place.
7. Elizabeth, married (contract dated 15 November 1461) to the above-named Nicholas, second Earl of Erroll, who died in 1470. she married, secondly, before 12 July 1471, John, Lord Kennedy, having issue to both husbands.
8. Christian, married, before 8 July 1468, to William, Lord Forbes.
9. Catherine, contracted on 30 September 1461, to marry Archibald, eldest son of George, Earl of Angus. He was then a boy about twelve years old. The marriage, however, did not take place.
The Earl had also two daughters, whose mother is said to have been a Cumming of Altyre, known as the 'Fair Maid of Moray,' and described as his fourth [third] wife, but his second wife survived him.
1. Janet, married to James Innes of that Ilk. She died about 1470 or before 1473.
2. Margaret, married, 26 June 1484, to Hew Rose, sixth Laird of Kilravock, and died about 1506.
Source: THE SCOTS PEERAGE, ed. by Sir James Balfour Paul, Vol IV, Edinburgh, 1906, pp. 521-26
------------------------------
Noted events in his life were:
1. Legal name change: from Seton to Gordon SURNAME CHANGED AFTER MARRIAGE TO GORDON HEIRESS, about 1457, in Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland. 1750
2. Legal name change: from Seton to Gordon SURNAME CHANGED, about 1457, in Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland. 1750
Alexander married Lady Elizabeth CRICHTON of Crichton - Countess of Huntly [7410] [MRIN: 5647] on 18 March 1440 in Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland.1750 (Lady Elizabeth CRICHTON of Crichton - Countess of Huntly [7410] was born on 26 January 1410 in Crichton, Midlothian, Scotland,1598 died on 9 June 1479 in Huntly, , Aberdeen, Scotland 1598 and was buried on 9 June 1479 in Kirknewton and East Calder, Midlothian, Scotland 1598.)
|
