Gordon, Charles, second Earl of Aboyne d. 1702, succeeded his father, Charles Gordon [qv.], as second Earl of Aboyne in 1681, but for many years lived in seclusion. On 27 July 1698 he offered to take his place in the Scottish parliament, when an objection was raised that he had been bred and continued to be a professed papist. Aboyne publicly declared in parliament that he had embraced the protestant religion. This statement was corroborated by the president of parliament and by other members. The earl was allowed accordingly to take his seat. He married his cousin, Elizabeth Lyon, second daughter of Patrick, third earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn, and, leaving one son and three daughters, died in April 1702.

Sources:
     Douglas's Peerage, pp. 24, 25
     Hist. of the Family of Gordon
     Concise Hist. of the House of Gordon.

Contributor: J. T. [James Tait]

Published: 1890