Sir John Hepburn
Encyclopedia
Sir John Hepburn was a Scottish
soldier who fought in wars in continental Europe
.
He was a son of George Hepburn of Athelstaneford
, near the town of Haddington
. He served in the Thirty Year's War, entering into the service of Gustavus Adolphus in 1623 and in 1625 was appointed colonel
of the Scottish regiment of Gustavus Adolphus' army. He fought in the Polish
wars of his Swedish
master, and just before the Battle of Breitenfeld
was put in command of the "Green" brigade of the army. The troops under Hepburn's command played a decisive role in the battle, and he remained with the king, becoming a trusted lieutenant. However, Hepburn was a devout Roman Catholic, and reputedly a jibe about his religion from Gustavus Adolphus encouraged him to leave the service of the Swedish king.
He then entered the service of France
, successfully raising 2,000 men in Scotland for the French army. This number was supplemented by the addition of the historic Scottish archer bodyguard of the French kings, the Garde Écossaise
, and later by the addition of Hepburn's former Swedish regiment, which was brought into the service of France by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
in 1635. This body of men laid the foundations of the modern Royal Scots regiment of the British army
.
Hepburn took part in campaigns in Alsace
and Lorraine
between 1634 and 1636. Shortly after his regiment was supplemented by the troops who had fought for him under the Swedish banner.
Hepburn was killed during the siege of Saverne
, and his body was buried at Toul
Cathedral
.
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...
soldier who fought in wars in continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
He was a son of George Hepburn of Athelstaneford
Athelstaneford
Athelstaneford is a village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to the town of Haddington and lies approximately 20 miles east of Edinburgh. The village is also known locally as Elshingford....
, near the town of Haddington
Haddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...
. He served in the Thirty Year's War, entering into the service of Gustavus Adolphus in 1623 and in 1625 was appointed colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Scottish regiment of Gustavus Adolphus' army. He fought in the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
wars of his Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
master, and just before the Battle of Breitenfeld
Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)
The Battle of Breitenfeld or First Battle of Breitenfeld , was fought at the crossroads villages of Breitenfeld , Podelwitz , and Seehausen , approximately five miles northwest of the walled city of Leipzig on September 17 , or September 7 The Battle of Breitenfeld or First Battle of Breitenfeld...
was put in command of the "Green" brigade of the army. The troops under Hepburn's command played a decisive role in the battle, and he remained with the king, becoming a trusted lieutenant. However, Hepburn was a devout Roman Catholic, and reputedly a jibe about his religion from Gustavus Adolphus encouraged him to leave the service of the Swedish king.
He then entered the service of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, successfully raising 2,000 men in Scotland for the French army. This number was supplemented by the addition of the historic Scottish archer bodyguard of the French kings, the Garde Écossaise
Garde Écossaise
The Garde Écossaise was an elite Scottish military unit founded in 1418 by the Valois Charles VII of France, to be personal bodyguards to the French monarchy. They were assimilated into the Maison du Roi and later formed the first Company of the Garde du Corps du Roi...
, and later by the addition of Hepburn's former Swedish regiment, which was brought into the service of France by 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...
in 1635. This body of men laid the foundations of the modern Royal Scots regiment of the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Hepburn took part in campaigns in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
between 1634 and 1636. Shortly after his regiment was supplemented by the troops who had fought for him under the Swedish banner.
Hepburn was killed during the siege of Saverne
Saverne
Saverne is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km N.W...
, and his body was buried at Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
.