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Thomas Gordon of Cairness

Portrait of General Thomas Gordon, 5th Laird of Cairness, MS 1160/25/6Thomas Gordon of Cairness
The philhellene, Major-General Thomas Gordon of Cairness and Buthlaw, (1788–1841), had a colourful career as a continental soldier and, subsequently, as a historian of great repute.

Following schooling at Eton and Oxford, Gordon embarked on a military career and served in British, Russian and Hanoverian armies. He also travelled extensively in Eastern Europe and visited Athens, Constantinople, Salonika, Asian Turkey, Persia, and Barbary.

Throughout the Greek War of Independence (1821-28) he offered his unwavering support to the Greeks, both from his estate in Aberdeenshire and through active participation on two separate occasions (1821 and 1826-27). After the war, he divided his time between Greece, where he served in the army and reached the rank of major-general, and Scotland, where he wrote his History of the Greek Revolution, 2 vols. (London, and Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1832). He died at his ‘magnificent seat’ of Cairness in 1841.

Gordon’s papers and correspondence form part of the extensive archive of the Gordon Family of Cairness and Buthlaw (MS 1160, MS 2757, and MS 3193). They consist principally of private correspondence relating to the Greek cause, and of material he collected in researching and writing his History.

Plan of the Battle of Valtezza, Arcadia, 27 & 28 May 1821 taken from History of the Greek Revolution, 2 volumes, Thomas Gordon, 1832. MS 1160/21/1/5Plan of the Battle of Valtezza, Arcadia, 27 & 28 May 1821 taken from History of the Greek Revolution, 2 volumes, Thomas Gordon, 1832. MS 1160/21/1/5

Gordon’s History was based on an unrivalled range of contemporary evidence and received widespread praise for its historical accuracy: ‘I always go to Gordon for dates and details’, stated that other great Victorian historian and philhellene, George Finlay (1799-1875).

‘Taken on the spot’: Gordon was in a unique position to record many military encounters of the 1821 campaign, many of his pen and ink sketch plans were later to be incorporated in his History.
Neck cross of the Greek Grand Order of the Redeemer, MS 1160/25/4Neck cross of the Greek Grand Order of the Redeemer, MS 1160/25/4

Gordon was awarded a number of honours during his career, the medals for many of which survive in this collection. Although he was temporarily out of favour with the Greek court when the grand cross of the Order of the Redeemer was inaugurated in 1833, he was made a grand commander of the Order upon his retirement.

Miniature of Gordon and his wife, Barbara Kana, painted by Nathalie d’Esmenard, 1821, MS 1160/25

Miniature of Gordon and his wife, Barbara Kana, painted by Nathalie d’Esmenard, 1821, MS 1160/25

In 1815-16, whilst in Constantinople, Gordon met and married an Armenian Greek, Barbara Kana. They had no children and following Gordon’s death in 1841, Barbara married Gordon’s aide-de-camp, Baron de Sedaiges of the Belgian Diplomatic Service.

 



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