Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly

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Tomb of Alexander Gordon, in Elgin Cathedral.

Sir Alexander Seton, later Gordon (d. July 15, 1470), was a powerful 15th century Scottish magnate. He was knighted in 1439/40 and was Lord of Badenoch, & Cluny.

He was the son of Alexander Seton (d. 1440) (2nd son of Sir William Seton of that Ilk), by his spouse Elizabeth (d. March 16, 1439), daughter and heiress of Sir Adam Gordon of that Ilk (k. 1402 at Battle of Homildon Hill).

Alexander Seton developed a strong relationship with William Crichton, the Chancellor of Scotland after 1439. He divorced his wife Egidia, daughter of Sir John Hay of Tillibody, in 1438 in order to marry Crichton's daughter Elizabeth.

Before July 3, 1445, King James II of Scotland made him Earl of Huntly, a new creation. This was part of deal to make peace between the Crichton and Douglas-Livingston factions in the Kingdom.

He was embroiled in struggles against the Douglases, against the Lords of the Isles, and against the Lindsay earls of Crawford.

The 1st Earl of Huntly had by his first wife a son:

Sir Alexander Seton, ancestor of the Setons of Touch, and Abercorn.

By his second wife Elizabeth he had four sons and four daughters (all of whom took the surname of Gordon, including:

George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, directed his family's affairs in Alexander's later years and succeeded him to the earldom.

Alexander died at Huntly Castle and was buried in Elgin Cathedral.

[edit] References

Appleyard, Simon C., Alexander Seton, First Earl of Huntly in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, New Edition, 2004. accessed 14 Nov 2006