Alexander Gordon , educated in the Catholic faith. As 5th Marquis of Huntly he travelled abroad extensively and visited several European Courts. He formed close friendships with King Frederick of Prussia and Cosmo, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and there are a number of letters from both in the collection, particularly from the Grand Duke and his wife. In 1707 he married Henrietta, daughter of Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peter-borough, and their son and heir was christened Cosmo in the Grand Duke's honour. An ardent Jacobite like his father, Alexander was compelled to give a bond to surrender if called upon, at the time of his father's arrest in 1708. The list of his correspondents reads like a Jacobite roll-call and he received a number of letters from his father. The most interesting being an apology for the Stuarts covering twenty sides [Goodwood MS. 1428].
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