Historic Aberdeenshire

History of the County of Aberdeenshire - Scotland

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The purpose of this project is to give an historic background to Aberdeenshire, to provide information about those individuals of Historic importance linked to the county and to add links to any profiles of significant people linked to Aberdeenshire who have profiles on GENi.

See also Aberdeenshire Main Page

Battles

• 1644 Battle of Aberdeen 13 September 1644 - an engagement in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms which took place between Royalist and Covenanter forces outside the city of Aberdeen
• Battle of Harlaw (Scottish Gaelic: Cath Gairbheach) Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland against those from the west coast.
• 12 November 1094 Battle of Mondynes
• Siege of Aberdeen Castle June 1308
• Sacking of Aberdeen 21-22nd July 1336
• Battle of Corrichie - 1562. The Battle of Corrichie was fought on October 28, 1562, in a little hollow on the south side of the Hill of Fare, seventeen miles from Aberdeen. The Marquis of Huntly lost his life as a consequence, and four days afterwards his second son, Sir John Gordon, "the Queen's love," was executed in Aberdeen. His head was afterwards exhibited on a spike stuck on the top of the Justice Port.
• The Battle of Craibstone, on 20 November 1571
• Battle of Megray Hill 1639
• Battle of Alford 1645

Castles

• Aberdeen Castle was a late Middle Ages fortification in Aberdeen. It was situated on Castle Hill, today known as the Castlegate, where today there is a block of flats.
• Balmoral Castle, Scottish Highland residence of the British royal family
• Corgarff Castle
• Crathes Castle
• Drum Castle
• Dunnottar Castle
• Fetteresso Castle
• Huntly Castle
• Kildrummy Castle
• Muchalls Castle
• Slains Castle

Historic Buildings of Aberdeenshire

History - over view

Timeline

Pre-history

11th Century

• 1057 Battle of Lumphanan: King Macbeth was killed by Malcolm Canmore (later Malcolm III).. Malcolm, son of Duncan (whom Macbeth had killed to claim the throne) sought revenge. With the support of the Earl Siward (Sigurd) of Northumbria, Macbeth was killed and soon (Lulach in between) Malcolm became King. Three miles north west of Torphins and 27 miles west of Aberdeen.
• 12 November 1094 Battle of Mondynes

12th Century

14th Century

• 1308 June - Siege of Aberdeen Castle. The castle and fortifications are thought to have been burnt by King Robert the Bruce in June 1308. Bruce and his men laid siege to the castle before massacring the English Garrison to prevent it being used by the English troops of Edward II. The Scots apparently showed no mercy - they "slew every man who fell into their hands".
• 1336 21-22nd July - Sacking of Aberdeen Edward III, having ravaged a great part of the north country, desolated Mar on his way south, and burned Aberdeen, killing a great number. http://bamdahs.webs.com/1336-sacking-of-aberdeen

15th Century

• 24 July 1411 Battle of Harlaw

16th Century

• 1562 Battle of Corrichie. Contest between James Stewart (the Regent Murray, and half-brother of the Queen) and the George Gordon, Earl of Huntly. Huntly was defeated and slain, and his son, [Sir John Gordon, who was taken prisoner, was afterwards executed at Aberdeen. Queen Mary, it is said, was a spectator both of the Battle and of the Executions.
• The Battle of Craibstone, on 20 November 1571, related to a feud between the Forbes and Gordon families, took place in Justice Mill Lane. The Battle was won by the Gordon's who forced the Forbes into retreat in approximately one hour with the loss of 60 men. Alexander, 2nd Lord Forbes of Pitsligo was killed.

17th Century

• 1639 - Battle of Megray Hill This indecisive engagement was fought north of Stonehaven, where the Royalist troops under Aboyne, facing stiff Covenanter opposition, declined to advance and retired to nearby Aberdeen in confusion. On June 18 and 19 Royalist forces defended the Brig o' Dee, the main entrance to the City from the south, for 2 days against Montrose, who at that time was fighting for the Covenanters. Both sides were unaware that a peace treaty had been signed on June 18. Just north of Stonehaven on the coast.
• 13 September 1644 Battle of Aberdeen See http://bcw-project.org/military/english-civil-war/montrose-scotland...
• 1645 - Battle of Alford. King Charles sent James Graham, Marquis of Montrose in attempt to raise the West Highland Clans. The Covenanters tried to stop them at Alford (27 miles north west of Aberdeen). Caught between the River Don and high ground, they suffered heavy losses. After many more victories, Montrose was appointed Captain General and Lieutenant Governor of Scotland.

Members of Parliament

For Biographical articles go to - http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/research/members

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

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R

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V

W

Lord Lieutenants of Aberdeenshire.

The Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire, is the British monarch's personal representative in an area consisting of the county of Aberdeen as it existed immediately prior to abolition for local government purposes by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 except that part within Aberdeen City. The office was created on 6 May 1794.

• Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon 17 March 1794 – 1808
• George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon 12 April 1808 – 28 May 1836
• William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll 6 June 1836 – 19 April 1846
• George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen 21 April 1846 – 14 December 1860
• Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly 13 February 1861 – 18 September 1863
• Francis Keith-Falconer, 8th Earl of Kintore 28 December 1863 – 18 July 1880
• John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair 17 September 1880 – 7 March 1934
• George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair 11 May 1934 – 1959
• Sir Ian Forbes-Leith, 2nd Baronet 29 January 1959 – 17 March 1973
• David Gordon, 4th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair 18 June 1973 – 13 September 1974
• Sir Maitland Mackie 11 February 1975 – 1987
• Capt. Colin Farquharson 13 May 1987 – 1998
• Sir Angus Farquharson 19 October 1998 – 2010
• James Ingleby 13 July 2010 - Present

Sheriffs of Aberdeenshire

The Sheriff of Aberdeen was a royal official who was responsible for enforcing justice in Aberdeen, Scotland until 1747.

• Philip de Melville, 1221
• William Prat, 1246
• Gregory de Melville, before 1263
• Sir Andrew of Garioch
• Sir William de Meldrum
• Sir Henry de Latham, England 1297
• John of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, 1299–1300
• Alexander Comyn, 1303
• Robert II Keith, Marischal of Scotland, 1304–1305
• Sir Norman Leslie, 1305
• Sir Walter de Barclay, 1320–1324
• John Drimmmyng,1325
• Sir John Brown, 1328
• Robert III Keith, Marischal of Scotland, 1335 & 1343
• Sir John de Bonneville, 1337
• Andrew Fraser of Ewnysedale, 1342
• William of Meldrum, 1347–1358
• Sir William de Lidell, 1358
• Sir Walter Maule, 1364
• Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth, 1369–1399
• Patrick of Crawford,1381
• John Fraser of Forglen, 1382
• David Lindsay, 1st Earl of Crawford, 1400–1408
• Sir Walter Lindsay of Kinneff, 1417–1423
• Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Earl of Crawford, 1421–1439
• David Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Crawford, 1439–1445
• Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford, 1445–1453
• Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly, 1453
• Walter Lindsay of Kinblathmont, 1457
• David Lindsay, 1st Duke of Montrose, 1461–1495
• Alexander Lindsay, Master of Crawford
• John Lindsay, 6th Earl of Crawford
• William Hay, 4th Earl of Erroll
• William Hay, 5th Earl of Erroll
• William Hay, 6th Earl of Erroll
• Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly
• Alexander Ogilvy of that ilk
• James Stewart, Earl of Moray
• David Lindsay, 8th Earl of Crawford
• George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
• William Leslie, 9th of Balquhain
• George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly
• John Leslie, 10th of Balquhain
• George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
• Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum
• Sir George Johnston of that ilk
• Alexander Forbes, 1st Lord Forbes of Pitsligo
• Sir Thomas Crombie of Kemnay
• Sir William Forbes of Craigievar
• William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal
• William Forbes, 11th Lord Forbes

References, Sources and further reading

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