William Gordon, 6th Viscount of Kenmure
Encyclopedia
William Gordon, 6th Viscount of Kenmure and Lord Lochinvar (c. 1672 – February 24, 1716) was a Scottish
Jacobite
.
William Gordon was the only son of Alexander Gordon, 5th Viscount of Kenmure and succeeded his father on his death in 1698, but was not able to inherit his family's property until 1700, because of a protracted law suit. Not initially an active supporter of the exiled Stuarts
, Lord Kenmure became the leader of the Lowlands
nobles, who opposed the Act of Union
in 1701.
Absenting himself from parliament, early in Anne's
reign, the sixth Viscount Kenmure was deeply involved in plotting for a Jacobite rising
and French invasion. Late in 1705, he was chosen by Lowlands Jacobites as a delegate to St Germain, although he did not travel there. Early in 1706 he claimed that disaffection was driving the Galloway Cameronians into Jacobitism
. In 1707 he was one of the Jacobite peers for whose conduct David Murray, fifth Viscount Stormont, answered to Colonel Nathaniel Hooke, envoy from St Germain. In the same year, James Francis Edward Stuart
granted him a marquessate. In 1711, he married Mary (d. 1776), daughter of Sir John Dalzell (d. 1698), sister of Robert Dalzell, fifth earl of Carnwath
, and niece of Captain James Dalzell, his long-time Jacobite friend. They had three sons and a daughter.
At the urging of his brother-in-law, Lord Carnwath, he joined the Jacobite rising
planned by John Erskine, Earl of Mar
, who appointed Kenmure, despite his total lack of military experience, commander of the Lowland Jacobite forces. He led a hundred and fifty cavalry
to the border. On October 24, 1715, he proclaimed King James VIII
at Kelso. Joining with Northumbria
n insurgents, he marched into England
. He was taken prisoner at the barricade
s of Preston, and brought to London. He was subsequently tried, found guilty, and beheaded on February 24, 1716, and his title and estates forfeited.
by Paul Hopkins
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...
Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
.
William Gordon was the only son of Alexander Gordon, 5th Viscount of Kenmure and succeeded his father on his death in 1698, but was not able to inherit his family's property until 1700, because of a protracted law suit. Not initially an active supporter of the exiled Stuarts
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, Lord Kenmure became the leader of the Lowlands
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
nobles, who opposed the Act of Union
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
in 1701.
Absenting himself from parliament, early in Anne's
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
reign, the sixth Viscount Kenmure was deeply involved in plotting for a Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
and French invasion. Late in 1705, he was chosen by Lowlands Jacobites as a delegate to St Germain, although he did not travel there. Early in 1706 he claimed that disaffection was driving the Galloway Cameronians into Jacobitism
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
. In 1707 he was one of the Jacobite peers for whose conduct David Murray, fifth Viscount Stormont, answered to Colonel Nathaniel Hooke, envoy from St Germain. In the same year, James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
granted him a marquessate. In 1711, he married Mary (d. 1776), daughter of Sir John Dalzell (d. 1698), sister of Robert Dalzell, fifth earl of Carnwath
Earl of Carnwath
The title Earl of Carnwath was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1639 for the 2nd Lord Dalzell. His father, Sir Robert Dalzell, had been created Lord Dalzell in 1628. The 5th Earl was attainted and the peerage forfeit in 1716, due to the Lord Carnwath's Jacobitism and support for the Fifteen,...
, and niece of Captain James Dalzell, his long-time Jacobite friend. They had three sons and a daughter.
At the urging of his brother-in-law, Lord Carnwath, he joined the Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
planned by John Erskine, Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT , Scottish Jacobite, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar , from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar of the first creation and de jure 6th Earl of Mar of the seventh...
, who appointed Kenmure, despite his total lack of military experience, commander of the Lowland Jacobite forces. He led a hundred and fifty cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
to the border. On October 24, 1715, he proclaimed King James VIII
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
at Kelso. Joining with Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
n insurgents, he marched into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was taken prisoner at the barricade
Barricade
Barricade, from the French barrique , is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction...
s of Preston, and brought to London. He was subsequently tried, found guilty, and beheaded on February 24, 1716, and his title and estates forfeited.
Sources
Oxford DNB article: Gordon, William, sixth Viscount Kenmure and Jacobite marquess of Kenmure (d. 1716), Jacobite conspiratorby Paul Hopkins
External links
- O Kenmure's on and awa', a ballad about William Gordon