Earl of Aboyne

This article is about title in the Scottish nobility. For the folk song entitled "The Earl of Aboyne", see The Earl of Aboyne (song).

The title of Earl of Aboyne in the Peerage of Scotland is held by the Gordon family, with the heir apparent to the Marquessate of Huntly using it as a courtesy title.

The peerage title of Earl of Aboyne was originally created in September 1660 for Lord Charles Gordon. At the time, he was the fourth son of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, and younger brother to James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne. Charles Gordon was also made Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet on the same occasion, with both titles being in the Peerage of Scotland.

The title descended from father to son for several generations. Charles Gordon's great-great-grandson, the 5th Earl, eventually succeeded to the higher title of Marquess of Huntly in 1836. Since then, the peerage earldom of Aboyne has been a subsidiary title held by the holder of the marquessate.

There is some contemporaneous evidence that suggests the title may have originally been created during the Civil War for Viscount Aboyne. However, this alleged prior creation is not substantiated in the primary sources on British and Scottish peerage.

Earls of Aboyne (1660)

• Charles Gordon, 1st Earl of Aboyne (died 1681)
• Charles Gordon, 2nd Earl of Aboyne (died 1702)
• John Gordon, 3rd Earl of Aboyne (died 1732)
• Charles Gordon, 4th Earl of Aboyne (c. 1726–1794)
• George Gordon, 5th Earl of Aboyne (1761–1853) (succeeded as 9th Marquess of Huntly in 1836)

see Marquess of Huntly for further succession

Family tree

Family tree of the Dukes of: Aubigny, Lennox, Gordon, Richmond; Marquesses of Huntly; Earls of: Aboyne, Enzie, Huntly, Kinrara, Lennox, March, and Richmond; Viscounts: Aboyne and Inverness; and Barons/Lords: Gordon of Badenoch, Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, Meldrum, Settrington, and Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine

Mormaer of Lennox (1st creation), 12th century William I (c. 1142–1214) King of Scotland David (1152–1219) Mormaer of Lennox, Earl of Huntingdon Ailín I (d. c. 1200) possibly Mormaer of Lennox Isobel of Huntingdon (1199–1251) Ailín II (d. 1217) Mormaer of Lennox Robert V de Brus (c. 1210–1295) Maol Domhnaich (Maldoven) (d. 1250) Mormaer of Lennox ? Gille Chriosd Robert VI de Brus (1243–1304) Maol Choluim (Malcolm) I (d. 1303) Mormaer of Lennox Amlaibh Clan MacFarlane Robert I (1274–1329) King of Scotland Maol Choluim (Malcolm) II (d. 1333) Mormaer of Lennox ? Marjorie Bruce (1296–1316) Domhnall (Donald) (d. 1365) Mormaer of Lennox ? Edward III (1312–1377) King of England Robert II (1316–1390) King of Scotland Margaret Countess of Lennox (?) Walter of Faslane (also Baltar mac Amlaimh) de facto Mormaer of Lennox Resigned, 1385 Earl of Richmond (5th creation), 1342 John of Gaunt (1340–1399) Earl of Richmond, Duke of Lancaster Robert III (1337–1406) King of Scots Robert Stewart (c. 1340–1420) Duke of Albany Donnchadh (1385–1425) Mormaer of Lennox Earldom of Richmond (5th creation) surrendered, 1372 Henry IV (1367–1413) King of England John Beaufort (1373–1410) Earl of Somerset Murdoch Stewart (1362-1425) Duke of Albany Isabella (d. 1458) Countess of Lennox Earldom of Lennox (1st creation) extinct, 1458 Earl of Richmond (6th creation), 1414 Earl of Huntly, 1445 John of Lancaster (1389–1435) Duke of Bedford, Earl of Richmond John Beaufort (c. 1403–1444) Duke of Somerset Alexander Seton (Gordon) (d. 1470) 1st Earl of Huntly James I (1394–1437) King of Scots Joan Beaufort (c. 1404–1445) James Stewart (c. 1399 – c. 1451) Black Knight of Lorn Earldom of Richmond (6th creation) extinct, 1435 Earl of Richmond (7th creation), 1452 Earl of Lennox (2nd creation), 1488 Edmund Tudor (1430–1456) 1st Earl of Richmond Margaret Beaufort (1443–1509) George Gordon (d. 1501) 2nd Earl of Huntly Annabella of Scotland (c.1433–1509) James II (1430–1460) King of Scots John Stewart (bef. 1430–1495) 1st Earl of Lennox John Stewart (c. 1440–1512) Earl of Atholl Henry Tudor (1457–1509) 2nd Earl of Richmond, Henry VII King of England James III (1451–1488) King of Scots Mary Stewart (1453–1488) Earldom of Richmond (7th creation) merged into the Crown, 1509 Elizabeth Hamilton Matthew Stewart (1460–1513) 2nd Earl of Lennox Henry VIII (1491–1547) King of England Alexander Gordon (d. 1524) 3rd Earl of Huntly James IV (1473–1513) King of Scots Margaret Tudor (1489–1541) Archibald Douglas (1489–1557) Earl of Angus John Stewart (c. 1490–1526) 3rd Earl of Lennox Elizabeth Stewart John Gordon (d. 1517) Lord Gordon Margaret Stewart (b. 1498) Duke of Richmond and Somerset, 1525 Earl of Lennox (4th creation), 1578 Henry Fitzroy (1519–1536) Duke of Richmond and Somerset George Gordon (1514–1562) 4th Earl of Huntly James V (1512–1542) King of Scots Margaret Douglas (1515–1578) Matthew Stewart (1516–1571) 4th Earl of Lennox Robert Stewart (c. 1522–1586) Earl of Lennox, Earl of March John Stewart (d. 1567) 6th Seigneur d'Aubigny Dukedom of Richmond and Somerset extinct, 1536 Earldom of Lennox (2nd creation) merged with crown, 1571 Earldom of Lennox (4th creation) "exchanged" for the Earldom of March, 1580 Earl of Lennox (3rd creation), c. 1571 Earl of Lennox (5th creation), 1580 Duke of Lennox (1st creation), 1581 George Gordon (d. 1576) 5th Earl of Huntly Mary (1542–1587) Queen of Scots Henry Stuart (1545–1567) Lord Darnley Charles Stuart (1557–1576) Earl of Lennox Esmé Stewart (1542–1583) Earl of Lennox, 1st Duke of Lennox, 7th Seigneur d'Aubigny Earldom of Lennox (3rd creation) extinct, 1576 Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 1599 Earl of Richmond, Baron Settrington, 1613, Duke of Richmond (1st creation), 1623 George Gordon (1562–1636) 1st Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 6th Earl of Huntly James VI & I (1566–1625) King of England and Scotland Ludovic Stewart (1574–1623) 2nd Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, Earl of Richmond, and Baron Settrington Esmé Stewart (1579–1624) 3rd Duke of Lennox, 2nd Earl of Richmond, 3rd Baron Settrington, 1st Earl of March, 7th Seigneur d'Aubigny Dukedom of Richmond, Earldom of Richmond and Settrington Barony extinct, 1623 Viscount Aboyne, 1632 Duke of Richmond (2nd creation), 1641 George Gordon (c. 1592–1649) 2nd Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 7th Earl of Huntly, 1st Viscount Aboyne Charles I (1600–1649) King of England and Scotland James Stewart (1612–1655) 4th Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 2nd Earl of March George Stewart (1619–1642) 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny Duke of Aubigny (France), 1684 Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet, 1660 James Gordon (c. 1620–1649) 2nd Viscount Aboyne Lewis Gordon (c. 1626–1653) 3rd Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 8th Earl of Huntly Charles II (1630–1685) King of England and Scotland Louise de Kérousaille (1649–1734) Duchess of Portsmouth, Duchess of Aubigny Charles Gordon (c. 1638–1681) 1st Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet Esmé Stewart (1649–1660) 5th Duke of Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, 3rd Earl of March Charles Stewart (1639–1672) 6th Duke of Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 4th Earl of March, 11th Seigneur d'Aubigny Aboyne Viscountcy extinct, 1649 Dukedoms of Lennox and Richmond and Earl of March extinct, 1672 Duke of Gordon (1st creation), Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 1684 Duke of Richmond (3rd creation), 1675, Duke of Lennox (2nd creation), Earl of March (4th creation), Earl of Darnley, Baron Settrington of Settrington in the County of York (2nd creation), and Lord Torbolton, 1675 George Gordon 1st Duke of Gordon, Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 4th Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 9th Earl of Huntly Charles Lennox (1672–1723) 1st Duke of Richmond, Duke of Lennox, Duke of Aubigny, Earl of March, Earl of Darnley, Baron Settrington, and Lord Torbolton Charles Gordon (c. 1670–1702) 2nd Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet Alexander Gordon (1720–1752) 2nd Duke of Gordon, Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 5th Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 10th Earl of Huntly Charles Lennox (1701–1750) 2nd Duke of Richmond, Duke of Lennox, Duke of Aubigny, Earl of March, Earl of Darnley, Baron Settrington, and Lord Torbolton John Gordon (d. 1732) 3rd Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet Cosmo George Gordon (1720–1752) 3rd Duke of Gordon, Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 6th Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 11th Earl of Huntly Charles Lennox (1735–1806) 3rd Duke of Richmond, Duke of Lennox, Duke of Aubigny, Earl of March, Earl of Darnley, Baron Settrington, and Lord Torbolton George Lennox (1737–1805) Charles Gordon (c. 1726–1794) 4th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet Alexander Gordon (1743–1827) 4th Duke of Gordon, Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 7th Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 12th Earl of Huntly, 1st Earl of Norwich Baron Meldrum of Morven in the County of Aberdeen, 1815 Marquess of Huntly reverted, 1838 George Duncan Gordon (1770–1836) 5th Duke of Gordon, Viscount of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, 8th Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Enzie, and Lord Gordon of Badenoch, 13th Earl of Huntly, 5th Earl of Enzie, 2nd Earl of Norwich Lady Charlotte Gordon (1768–1842) Charles Lennox (1764–1819) 4th Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox, 4th Duke of Aubigny, 4th Earl of March George Gordon (1761–1853) 9th Marquess of Huntly, 14th Earl of Huntly, 5th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, 1st Baron Meldrum Dukedom of Gordon (1st creation), Viscountcy of Inverness, and Lord Strathaven, Balmore, Auchindoun, Garthie and Kincardine, Earldom of Norwich (4th creation), Earldom of Enzie extinct, 1836 Charles Gordon-Lennox (1791–1860) 5th Duke of Richmond, 5th Duke of Lennox, 5th Duke of Aubigny, 5th Earl of March Charles Gordon (1792–1863) 10th Marquess of Huntly, 15th Earl of Huntly, 6th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, 2nd Baron Meldrum Duke of Gordon (2nd creation) and Earl of Kinrara, 1876 Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (1818–1903) 6th Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 6th Duke of Aubigny, 6th Earl of March Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (1845–1928) 7th Duke of Richmond, 7th Duke of Lennox, 2nd Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 7th Duke of Aubigny, 7th Earl of March Charles Gordon (1847–1937) 11th Marquess of Huntly, 16th Earl of Huntly, 7th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, 3rd Baron Meldrum Granville Armyne Gordon (1856–1907) Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (1870–1935) 8th Duke of Richmond, 8th Duke of Lennox, 8th Duke of Aubigny, 3rd Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 8th Earl of March Granville Cecil Douglas Gordon (1883–1930) Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (1899–1919) Lord Settrington Frederick Charles Gordon-Lennox (1904–1989) 9th Duke of Richmond, 9th Duke of Lennox, 9th Duke of Aubigny, 4th Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 9th Earl of March Douglas Charles Lindsey Gordon (1908–1987) 12th Marquess of Huntly, 18th Earl of Huntly, 8th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, 4th Baron Meldrum Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (1929–2017) 10th Duke of Richmond, 10th Duke of Lennox, 10th Duke of Aubigny, 5th Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 10th Earl of March Charles Gordon-Lennox (b. 1955) 11th Duke of Richmond, 11th Duke of Lennox, 11th Duke of Aubigny, 6th Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara, 11th Earl of March Granville Charles Gomer Gordon (b. 1944) 13th Marquess of Huntly, 18th Earl of Huntly, 9th Earl of Aboyne and Lord Gordon of Strathavon and Glenlivet, 5th Baron Meldrum Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (b. 1994) styled Earl of March and Kinrara Alastair Gordon (b. 1973) styled Earl of Aboyne

See also

• Viscount Aboyne

References

• Cokayne, George E. (1910). Gibbs, Vicary (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. I, Ab-Adam to Basing. London: St. Catherine Press. pp. 53–54.
• Gordon of Gordounston, Robert, A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland (Edinburgh 1813), p. 528 (the continuation by Gilbert Gordon of Sallagh, concluded in 1651, provides the most explicit evidence that the 2nd Viscount was "created earl by the king's patent" around 1645).