Related
Princess Alix of Hesse with sister Victoria Battenberg and Margareth von Fabrice
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (right) and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna.
Princess Victoria Alisa Elena Louise Beatrice Hesse-Darmstadt. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna
Sister of Mercy Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and surgeon Vera Gedroits in the dressing hospital of the Palace.
Elizabeth Alexandra Louise Alice - Princess Hesse-Darmstadt
M.DCCC.LIX. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE CONSORT. THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, K.G., K.T. THE DUKE OF RICHMOND, K.G. THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND, K.G. THE EARL OF KINTORE. THE EARL OF SEAFIELD. THE LORD SALTOUN.
Children of the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt Ludwig IV and the Grand Duchess of Alice.
Elizabeth Alexandra Louise Alice (Ella) Princess Hesse-Darmstadt future Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna Romanova.
Crosses. Gift of Theodore, Cyril and Natalia Naryshkin. Uspensky Monastery
CONTENTS. xxxlii Dinner at Lord Perth's. Earls of Erroll, Airly, and Dunfermline. Dukes of Hamil- ton and Quecnsberry. Srarquis of Athole
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
CONTENTS. xxxlii
Dinner at Lord Perth's. Earls of Erroll, Airly, and Dunfermline. Dukes of Hamil-
ton and Quecnsberry. Srarquis of Athole 141
A visit to the Scottish Parliament 141
Dinner with the Duke of Gordon at Crombie's tavern 141
Father William Dunbar 142
Dinner at Blair's tavern. Walk in the Park 142
The Castle. Dowager Marchioness of Huntly, Father William Aloysius Leslie.
Father Gilbert Inglis 143
Average price of a tavern dinner. Collation 143
Lady Lucy Hamilton 143
TheEarl of Eglintcn. Heriot's Hospital. The Earl Marischal. Lord Colinton. Sir
Thomas Dalyell 144
The Lord High Commissioner convoyed from Edinburgh to Haddington. Viscount
Kenmure. The Duke of Lauderdale's tomb. Seton Palace , 144
Major-General Buchan of Auchmacoy. Alexander Innes of Coxtoun 145
Passage from Leith to Burntisland 145
Visit to the Countess of Dunfermline at Delgaty 145
Kirkcaldy. Cupar-in-Fife. Dundee. Arbroath. Sir George Skene of Fintray.
Montrose. Bervie. Stonehaven. Cowie. The Bridge of Dee 145
Arrival at Aberdeen. Visits of kinsfolks 145
Visit to the Earl of Aberdeen at Kelly (now Haddo House) 146
Gray of Schivas. Gordon of Coldwells. Fullerton of Dudwick. A standing drink
at the Bonny Wife's of Dudwick , 146
Auchleuchries. The Kairne and the Karny Wink. Family affairs 146
Barrack. Knavin. Auchmunziell 147
Visit to the Earl of Erroll at Dalgetty. The Countess of Erroll 147
Cuming of Auchry. Family of Conn. Auchredy. Nethermuir. Entry into Ellon
with thirty horse. Gordon of Rothiemay. Forbes of Watertoun 147
Drinking the King's health at the Towstone 148
Return to Aberdeen. Countess of Aberdeen. Lady Wartle. Chartulary of Auch-
leuchries. Burial of Old Craig in the Snow Kirk 148
King's College. The Links. Gordon entertained by the Lord Provost and Magis-
trates of Aberdeen. His kinsfolks made burgesses. Cost of the banquet 149
Church of Nigg. St. Fithak or Fiacre. Earl and Countess of Aberdeen. Earl
Marischal 149
The Links. Salmon dinner at the Bridge of Dee 150
Letter from King James II. to the Czars, desiring them to allow Gordon to leave
Russia, His Majesty having occasion for him in Scotland 150
Letter from the Duke of Gordon to the Russian minister, Golizyn.... 151
The Links. Farewell to ' these pleasing places.' 152
Voyage from Aberdeen to Elsiueur. The freight 152
Journey from Riga to Moscow 154
Gordon petitions for leave to quit Russia 158
Gordon was brought up and remained a lifelong Roman Catholic, at a time when the Church was being persecuted in Scotland. At age of fifteen, he entered the Jesuit college at Braunsberg, East Prussia, then part of Poland. In 1661, after many years experiences as a soldier of fortune, he joined the Russian army under Tsar Aleksei I, and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England. After his return, he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and Tatars in southern Russia. In recognition of his service he was promoted to major-general in 1678, was appointed to the high command at Kiev in 1679, and in 1683 was made lieutenant-general. In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the Crimea, being made a full general. Later in 1689, a revolution broke out in Moscow, and with the troops under his command, Gordon virtually decided events in favor of Peter the Great against the Regent, Tsarevna Sophia Alekseyevna. Consequently, he was for the remainder of his life in high favor with the Tsar, who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia. In 1696, Gordon's design of a "moveable rampart" played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov. One of Gordon's convinced the Tsars to establish the first Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy, of which he remained the main benefactor and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death. For his services his second son James, brigadier of the Russian army, was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701. At the end of his life the Tsar, who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness, was with him when he died, and with his own hands closed his eyes. General Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times, written in English. This is preserved in manuscript in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow. Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries (1635–1699) was printed, under the editorship of Joseph Robertson, for the Spalding Club, at Aberdeen, Scotland, 1859.