GORDON, Alexander 3rd Earl of Huntly ^{1 2 3}

   User ID: B919.

  General Notes:

"ALEXANDER, third Earl of Huntly, was the eldest son of George, second Earl, but whether he was the son of Princess Annabella or Elizabeth Hay is a point which has been much disputed. The former opinion is apparently supported by the fact that the Master of Huntly is found not only sitting in Parliament in 1485, but one of the Lords of the Articles. On the other hand, there is a charter of 21 February 1504-5 to Elizabeth, Countess of Huntly, in which she is distinctly referred to as 'mother' of Alexander, Earl of Huntly. Besides, on 4 July 1492 the divorce of Lady Annabella and the publication, in 1471, of the banns of his father and Elizabeth Hay were recorded in the Consistorial Court of Aberdeen at the Earl's request, a proceeding he would hardly have taken had he been the son of the Princess."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4) ²

  Research Notes:

PARENTS OF ALEXANDER GORDON

George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, obtained a divorce from Annabella Stewart about 1466, and then an annulment on 24 July 1471 on the basis of Annabella of Scotland's consanguinity with Elizabeth Dunbar. George Gordon's earlier, annulled, first marriage had not produced children.

Sexual intimacies between George and Elizabeth Hay, had already begun before the marriage with Annabella was annulled. George Gordon and Elizabeth Hay were not married until 12 May 1476. Canon law by annulment still considered any children born within the period of the marriage to be legitimate. In addition, unlike common law, it legitimated children born before their parents' marriage once the marriage took place. Thus all of George Gordon's children were legitimate.

Some secondary sources are adamant that certain children were born to either Annabella or Elizabeth, but generally speaking there remains no clear consensus as to which child was of the second marriage and which of the third. It was obviously of advantage for particular families to claim descent from royalty and that may sway conclusions of some.

This researcher's view is that, having produced only female children, namely Janet, Isabel, and Elizabetht, Annabella's influence with George Gordon waned, king's daughter or not. Knowing the legitimacy rules as outlined above, and finding his mistress Elizabeth Hay was able to produce sons for him, namely Alexander then Adam, George Gordon had his marriage with Annabella Stewart annulled.

The later genealogical confusion would add a certain royal glow to the reputation of Alexander Gordon 3rd Earl of Huntly, George's heir, and conveniently cover the fact that the earliest children of Elizabeth Hay were in fact illegitimate until firstly the marriage to Annabella was annulled, and secondly the subsequent marriage to Elizabeth, which took place after the birth of male heirs, was able to legitimise those same heirs. The approximated birth dates of the children, based on later events, would seem to support this hypothesis.

Alexander married Jean STEWART, daughter of Sir John STEWART of Balvenie, Earl of Atholl and Margaret DOUGLAS 'Fair Maid of Galloway', 20 October 1474(contract).^{1 2} (Jean STEWART was born about 1472 and died on 27 October 1510 in Stratbogie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland ².)

  Marriage Notes:

"Jean, married, before 1482, to Alexander, third Earl of Huntly."

from Scots Peerage (vol 1)




"The Earl married, first (contract 20 October 1474 6 ), Jean Stewart, daughter of John, Earl of Atholl. On 24 July 1509, she, along with her husband and eldest son, signs a renunciation of the lands of Bocharm....
By his first marriage the Earl had issue"

from Scots Peerage (vol 4) ^{1 2}

Alexander next married Elizabeth GRAY, daughter of Andrew GRAY 2nd Lord Gray and Janet KEITH, after 27 July 1511. (Elizabeth GRAY was born about 1464 and died before 19 January 1529(1530) ².)

  Marriage Notes:

"He (Alexander Gordon) married, secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew, Lord Gray, and widow of John, Lord Glamis. The marriage probably took place not long after 27 July 1511, on which date the King confirmed a charter of the Earl granting to her, as Lady Glamis, certain lands in Banff and Strathbogie."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4) ²