Duke of Gordon
Encyclopedia
The title Duke of Gordon has been created once in the Peerage of Scotland
and again in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
.
The Dukedom, named after the Clan Gordon
, was first created for the 4th Marquess of Huntly
, who on 3 November 1684 was created Duke of Gordon, Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Huntly and Enzie (all three of which he already held by an older creation), Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine. On 2 July 1784, the 4th Duke
was created Earl of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk
, and Baron Gordon, of Huntley
in the County of Gloucester
, in the Peerage of Great Britain
. The principal family seat was Gordon Castle
. The Dukedom became extinct in 1836, along with all the titles created in 1684 and 1784.
Most of the Gordon estates passed to the son of the 5th Duke's eldest sister, the 5th Duke of Richmond
, whose main seat was Goodwood House
in Sussex
. In 1876 his son, the 6th Duke
, was created Duke of Gordon, of Gordon Castle
in Scotland
, and Earl of Kinrara, in the County of Inverness
. Thus, the Duke holds four dukedoms (including the titular Aubigny-sur-Nère
; see Duke of Aubigny
), more than any other person in the realm. Aubigny is in the defunct Peerage of France
and the central arms of the Duke are based on the original Jacobean
ones for the Union of the Crowns
, with the inherited but inactive English claims to the French throne
also represented prominently.
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
and again in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
.
The Dukedom, named after the Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
, was first created for the 4th Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon
George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon KT, PC , known as Marquess of Huntly from 1661 to 1684, was a Scottish peer....
, who on 3 November 1684 was created Duke of Gordon, Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Huntly and Enzie (all three of which he already held by an older creation), Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine. On 2 July 1784, the 4th Duke
Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon
Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon KT , styled Marquess of Huntly until 1752, was a Scottish nobleman, described by Kaimes as the "greatest subject in Britain", and was also known as the Cock o' the North, the traditional epithet attached to the chief of the Gordon clan.-Early life:Alexander...
was created Earl of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and Baron Gordon, of Huntley
Huntley, Gloucestershire
Huntley, Gloucestershire, is a village on the A40 located seven miles west ofGloucester in the north of the Forest of Dean.- History :Huntley is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Huntelei....
in the County of Gloucester
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
. The principal family seat was Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle is located in Gight, near Fochabers in Moray, Scotland. Historically known as the Bog-of-Gight, it was the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon...
. The Dukedom became extinct in 1836, along with all the titles created in 1684 and 1784.
Most of the Gordon estates passed to the son of the 5th Duke's eldest sister, the 5th Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and 5th Duke of Lennox KG, PC , styled Earl of March until in 1819, was a British soldier, politician and a prominent Conservative.-Background and education:...
, whose main seat was Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Goodwood House is a country house in West Sussex in southern England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Richmond. Several architects have contributed to the design of the house, including James Wyatt. It was the intention to build the house to a unique octagonal layout, but only three of the eight...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. In 1876 his son, the 6th Duke
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond
Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, and 1st Duke of Gordon KG PC , styled Lord Settrington until 1819 and Earl of March between 1819 and 1860, was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:Born at Richmond House, London, he was the son of Charles...
, was created Duke of Gordon, of Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle
Gordon Castle is located in Gight, near Fochabers in Moray, Scotland. Historically known as the Bog-of-Gight, it was the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon...
in Scotland
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...
, and Earl of Kinrara, in the County of Inverness
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
. Thus, the Duke holds four dukedoms (including the titular Aubigny-sur-Nère
Aubigny-sur-Nère
Aubigny-sur-Nère is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of forestry and farming surrounding a small light industrial town, situated in the valley of the river Nère some north of Bourges at the junction of the D940, D924, D30 and the D923...
; see Duke of Aubigny
Duke of Aubigny
The Scottish Dukes of Aubigny had their origins in Aubigny-sur-Nère, France, from the 15th century, which was an important honour throughout the Auld Alliance and Ancien Régime...
), more than any other person in the realm. Aubigny is in the defunct Peerage of France
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
and the central arms of the Duke are based on the original Jacobean
Jacobean era
The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of King James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I...
ones for the Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
, with the inherited but inactive English claims to the French throne
English claims to the French throne
The English claims to the French throne have a long and complex history between the 1340s and the 19th century.From 1340 to 1801, with only brief intervals in 1360-1369 and 1420–1422, the kings and queens of England, and after the Acts of Union in 1707 the kings and queens of Great Britain, also...
also represented prominently.
Dukes of Gordon, first Creation (1684)
- Other titles: Marquess of HuntlyMarquess of HuntlyMarquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland 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 marquessate of Winchester being older...
(1599), Marquess of Huntly (1684), Earl of Huntly (1445), Earl of Enzie (1599), Earl of Huntly and Enzie and Viscount of Inverness (1684), Lord Gordon of Badenoch (1599) and Lord Badenoch, Lochaber, Strathavon, Balmore, Auchidon, Garthie and Kincardine (1684)- George Gordon, 1st Duke of GordonGeorge Gordon, 1st Duke of GordonGeorge Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon KT, PC , known as Marquess of Huntly from 1661 to 1684, was a Scottish peer....
(1649–1716) was until 1684 merely Marquess of HuntlyMarquess of HuntlyMarquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland 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 marquessate of Winchester being older... - Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of GordonAlexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of GordonGeneral Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon , styled Earl of Enzie until 1684 and the Marquess of Huntly from 1684 to 1716, was a Scottish peer....
(c. 1678–1728), only son of the 1st Duke - Cosmo George Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon (c. 1720–1752), eldest son of the 2nd Duke
- George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon
- Other title (4th Duke): Earl of NorwichEarl of NorwichEarl of Norwich was a title that was created four times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1626 in favour of the courtier and politician Edward Denny, 1st Baron Rose...
and Baron Gordon of Huntly, in the county of Gloucester (GB, 1784) and Baron MordauntBaron MordauntThe title Baron Mordaunt was created in 1529 for Sir John Mordaunt. The fifth baron was created Earl of Peterborough in 1628 and the title then passed to his son, the second earl, in 1644. On his death in 1697, the earldom was inherited by the his nephew, Charles and the barony was inherited by his...
(En, 1529)- Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of GordonAlexander Gordon, 4th Duke of GordonAlexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon KT , styled Marquess of Huntly until 1752, was a Scottish nobleman, described by Kaimes as the "greatest subject in Britain", and was also known as the Cock o' the North, the traditional epithet attached to the chief of the Gordon clan.-Early life:Alexander...
(1743–1827), eldest son of the 3rd Duke - George Gordon, 5th Duke of GordonGeorge Gordon, 5th Duke of GordonGeorge Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon GCB, PC , styled Marquess of Huntly until 1827, was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician and the last of his illustrious line.-Early life:...
(1770–1836), elder son of the 4th Duke
- Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon
Dukes of Gordon, second Creation (1876)
- Other titles: Duke of Richmond (1675), Duke of Lennox (1675), Earl of March (1675), Earl of Darnley (1675), Earl of Kinrara, in the county of Inverness (1876), Baron of Settrington, in the county of York (1675) and Lord of Torboulton (1675)
- Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of RichmondCharles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, and 1st Duke of Gordon KG PC , styled Lord Settrington until 1819 and Earl of March between 1819 and 1860, was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:Born at Richmond House, London, he was the son of Charles...
, 6th Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Gordon (1818–1903), eldest son of the 5th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and 5th Duke of Lennox KG, PC , styled Earl of March until in 1819, was a British soldier, politician and a prominent Conservative.-Background and education:...
, himself nephew of the above 5th Duke of Gordon - Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of RichmondCharles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond and Lennox KG, GCVO , styled Lord Settrington until 1860 and Earl of March between 1860 and 1903, was a British politician and peer....
, 7th Duke of Lennox, 2nd Duke of Gordon (1845–1928), eldest son of the 6th Duke - Charles Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of RichmondCharles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of Richmond, 8th Duke of Lennox, 3rd Duke of Gordon DSO MVO was a British Peer, the son of the 7th Duke by his first wife, Amy Mary Ricardo , daughter of Percy Ricardo, of Bramley Park and Mathilde Hensley. He became duke upon his...
, 8th Duke of Lennox, 3rd Duke of Gordon (1870–1935), eldest son of the 7th Duke - Charles Gordon-Lennox, Lord Settrington (1899–1919), eldest son of the 8th Duke (at that point Earl of March), died without issue
- Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of RichmondFrederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of RichmondFrederick Charles Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond, 9th Duke of Lennox, 4th Duke of Gordon was a British peer, engineer, racing driver and motor racing promoter....
, 9th Duke of Lennox, 4th Duke of Gordon (1904–1989), second son of the 8th Duke - Charles Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of RichmondCharles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of Richmond, 10th Duke of Lennox and 5th Duke of Gordon is a British Peer. He was styled Lord Settrington until 1935 and Earl of March and Kinrara between 1935 and 1989, and is currently styled His Grace The Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon.The son of...
, 10th Duke of Lennox, 5th Duke of Gordon (b. 1929), eldest son of the 9th Duke - Heir apparent: Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and KinraraCharles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and KinraraCharles Henry Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara is the heir apparent of the 10th Duke of Richmond, 10th Duke of Lennox and 5th Duke of Gordon...
(b. 1955), only son of the 10th Duke
-
- Lord March's heir apparent: Charles Gordon-Lennox, Lord Settrington (b. 1994), Lord March's eldest son
- Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond