Alexander Seaton
Encyclopedia
Alexander Seaton or Seton (before 1626 – after 1649) was a Scottish
mercenary
in Danish
service during the Thirty Years' War
. He served as a governor in the Battle of Stralsund
and as an admiral in the Torstenson War.
Alexander Seaton entered the service of Christian IV of Denmark
, and advanced to the rank of a captain of infantry on 8 April 1626. Upon request by the Danish king, the Scottish Privy Council allowed Seaton to levy 500 Scottish soldiers on 30 June.
On 28 February 1627, he advanced to the rank of a lieutenant colonel. In September, he was wounded in battle near Oldenburg
, while securing Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
's rear against Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly's forces during the Battle of Heiligenhafen.The battle took place between 23 and 27 September. A Danish force of 6,000 troops, commanded by Baden, Mitzlaff and Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, landed at Heiligenhafen
and was intercepted by imperial forces commanded by Schlick. Of the Danish troops, 1,000 were killed and 4,000 surrendered, only 1,000 succeeded in boarding vessels and escape with Saxe-Weimar. Among these were the surving Scots. Guthrie (2002), p.143: "Action of Heiligenhofen [sic!]".
He then joined Donald Mackay
's regiment, commanding it during the Battle of Stralsund (1628)
, where he succeeded the Danish-German mercenary Heinrich Holk
as Stralsund
's governor. During the time he was in command, the town withstood the siege of Albrecht von Wallenstein
's imperial
army. He was succeeded as the governor in July by Alexander Leslie, a Scot in Swedish service. Wallenstein lifted the siege on 4 August, forced to accept his first check in the Thirty Years' War
.
Seaton did not stay with his regiment when it entered Swedish service, and instead joined the Norwegian
infantry as a captain in 1628 - having left Mackay's troops as a colonel. For the next 17 years, no records of Seaton's life are known.
By 1645, he had advanced to the rank of a colonel in the Norwegian army and navy again. In 1645, Seaton took over eight ships of the Danish navy to fight Sweden as an admiral - the last appointment of a British in Christian IV's service. With these ships, he took part in the "Norwegian response" by attacking Gothenburg
(Göteborg) from the sea. Seaton's assault took place in August, just before the Treaty of Brömsebro ended the Danish-Swedish war in favour of Sweden on 13/23 August 1645.In the 17th century, the Julian calendar
was used in the region, which then was ten days late compared to the Gregorian calendar
; 13 August - Julian, 23 August - Gregorian.
The last record of Seaton is of 19 April 1649, when he was a colonel in the Norwegian army. Date and place of Seaton's death are unknown, marriages are not recorded.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
in Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
service during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. He served as a governor in the Battle of Stralsund
Battle of Stralsund (1628)
The Siege of Stralsund was a siege laid on Stralsund by Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War, from May to 4 August 1628. Stralsund was aided by Denmark and Sweden, with considerable Scottish participation. The siege ended Wallenstein's series of victories, and...
and as an admiral in the Torstenson War.
Biography
Neither the place nor the date of Alexander Seaton's birth are recorded. Though his parents remain unknown, it has been proposed that either Alexander Seton of Lathrisk or George Seton of Cariston be his father.Alexander Seaton entered the service of Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
, and advanced to the rank of a captain of infantry on 8 April 1626. Upon request by the Danish king, the Scottish Privy Council allowed Seaton to levy 500 Scottish soldiers on 30 June.
On 28 February 1627, he advanced to the rank of a lieutenant colonel. In September, he was wounded in battle near Oldenburg
Oldenburg (Holstein)
Oldenburg in Holstein is a town at the southwestern shore of the Baltic Sea. The nearest city is Lübeck. The town belongs to the region of Holstein, today in the state Schleswig-Holstein of Germany....
, while securing Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
Bernard of Saxe-Weimar was a German prince and general in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:Born in Weimar within the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, Bernard was the eleventh son of Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Maria of Anhalt.Bernard received an unusually good education and studied at the...
's rear against Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly's forces during the Battle of Heiligenhafen.The battle took place between 23 and 27 September. A Danish force of 6,000 troops, commanded by Baden, Mitzlaff and Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, landed at Heiligenhafen
Heiligenhafen
Heiligenhafen is a town in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the Baltic Sea coast, opposite the island Fehmarn, approx. 60 km northeast of Lübeck, and 55 km east of Kiel.-Geography:...
and was intercepted by imperial forces commanded by Schlick. Of the Danish troops, 1,000 were killed and 4,000 surrendered, only 1,000 succeeded in boarding vessels and escape with Saxe-Weimar. Among these were the surving Scots. Guthrie (2002), p.143: "Action of Heiligenhofen [sic!]".
He then joined Donald Mackay
Donald Mackay
Donald Bruce Mackay was an Australian anti-drugs campaigner who came to fame in 1977 through the circumstances of his murder.Mackay was born in Griffith and raised in Sydney...
's regiment, commanding it during the Battle of Stralsund (1628)
Battle of Stralsund (1628)
The Siege of Stralsund was a siege laid on Stralsund by Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War, from May to 4 August 1628. Stralsund was aided by Denmark and Sweden, with considerable Scottish participation. The siege ended Wallenstein's series of victories, and...
, where he succeeded the Danish-German mercenary Heinrich Holk
Heinrich Holk
Heinrich Holk was a Danish-German mercenary in both Christian IV of Denmark's and Albrecht von Wallenstein's service during the Thirty Years' War....
as Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
's governor. During the time he was in command, the town withstood the siege of Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
's imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
army. He was succeeded as the governor in July by Alexander Leslie, a Scot in Swedish service. Wallenstein lifted the siege on 4 August, forced to accept his first check in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
Seaton did not stay with his regiment when it entered Swedish service, and instead joined the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
infantry as a captain in 1628 - having left Mackay's troops as a colonel. For the next 17 years, no records of Seaton's life are known.
By 1645, he had advanced to the rank of a colonel in the Norwegian army and navy again. In 1645, Seaton took over eight ships of the Danish navy to fight Sweden as an admiral - the last appointment of a British in Christian IV's service. With these ships, he took part in the "Norwegian response" by attacking Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
(Göteborg) from the sea. Seaton's assault took place in August, just before the Treaty of Brömsebro ended the Danish-Swedish war in favour of Sweden on 13/23 August 1645.In the 17th century, the Julian calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
was used in the region, which then was ten days late compared to the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
; 13 August - Julian, 23 August - Gregorian.
The last record of Seaton is of 19 April 1649, when he was a colonel in the Norwegian army. Date and place of Seaton's death are unknown, marriages are not recorded.
See also
- Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
- Battle of Stralsund (1628)Battle of Stralsund (1628)The Siege of Stralsund was a siege laid on Stralsund by Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War, from May to 4 August 1628. Stralsund was aided by Denmark and Sweden, with considerable Scottish participation. The siege ended Wallenstein's series of victories, and...
- Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of LevenAlexander Leslie, 1st Earl of LevenAlexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven was a Scottish soldier in Dutch, Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Dutch captain, a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland became lord general in command of the Covenanters,...
- Torstenson War