Editing Patrick Gordon (section)

== Life ==
Gordon was born in Auchleuchries, [[Aberdeenshire]], Scotland and brought up and remained a lifelong [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], at a time when adherents of that faith were persecuted in Scotland, which had become officially [[Calvinism|Calvinist]]. After an education at the parish schools of [[Cruden]] and [[Ellon, Aberdeenshire|Ellon]], at age of fifteen he entered the [[Collegium Hosianum]] at [[Braunsberg]] (Braniewo), in the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Kingdom of Poland]]; however, his character did not tolerate well the strict and sombre way of life at the school, and he soon decided to return home. He changed his mind, however, before re-embarking on the journey back to Scotland, and after journeying on foot in several parts of Poland, in 1655 he enlisted at [[Hamburg]] into the military service of Sweden.

In the course of the next five years he served alternately for Poland and Sweden and was taken prisoner by both. At the [[Battle of Chudnov]] in 1660, Gordon was wounded.<ref name="auto">Fedosov, Dmitry "Cock of the East: A Gordon Blade Abroad" pages 1-10 from ''Russia War, Peace and Diplomacy'' edited by Ljubica and Mark Erickson, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004 page 6.</ref> Upon hearing of the [[Restoration (England)|Stuart restoration]], Gordon left the Polish service, but found himself unable to obtain military employment in Scotland or [[Kingdom of England|England]].<ref name="auto"/> In 1661, after further experiences as a [[mercenary|soldier of fortune]], he joined the Russian army under [[Tsar]] [[Aleksey I of Russia|Aleksei I]], and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England. After his return he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and [[Tatars]] in southern Russia. Gordon disliked the Russian service, complaining of the corruption and venality of Russian officials, which left him, in his own words, "almost at wits end with vexation".<ref>Fedosov, Dmitry, "Cock of the East: A Gordon Blade Abroad" pages 1-10, from ''Russia War, Peace and Diplomacy'' edited by Ljubica and Mark Erickson, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004, page 7.</ref> However, in recognition of his service he was promoted to [[major-general]] in 1678, was appointed to the high command at [[Kiev]] in 1679, and in 1683 was made [[lieutenant-general]].

He was not the only Scottish soldier in the Tsar's service; his compatriots [[Paul Menzies]], Alexander Livingston and many others were among those from lesser houses, or who had little chance of a claim to inheritance, seeking to make a name for themselves.

Gordon visited England and Scotland in 1686. In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the [[Crimea]], being made a full [[general]]. Later in 1689 a coup broke out in [[Moscow]], and with the troops under his command Gordon virtually decided events in favour of [[Peter the Great]],<ref name="auto1">Fedosov, Dmitry "Cock of the East: A Gordon Blade Abroad" pages 1-10 from ''Russia War, Peace and Diplomacy'' edited by Ljubica and Mark Erickson, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004 page 9.</ref> and against the [[Regent]], [[Tsarevna]] [[Sophia Alekseyevna]]. Consequently, he was for the remainder of his life in high favour with the Tsar, who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia. In 1696, Gordon's design of a "moveable rampart" played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov.<ref name="auto1"/>

One of Gordon's greatest achievements was securing permission from the Tsars to establish the first permanent Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy, of which he remained the main benefactor, and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death. For his services his second son James, brigadier of the Russian army, was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701.

The Tsar employed him in organizing his army according to the West European system; and raised him to the rank of full general.

He died in [[Moscow]], Russia on 29 November 1699. At the end of his life the Tsar, who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness, was with him when he died, and with his own hands closed his eyes. Originally buried in the Foreign Quarter, his remains were reinterred in 1877, with an inscription in German which mistakenly gives his rank as ''Oberst'', Colonel.

Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times, written in English. This is preserved in [[manuscript]] in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow. An incomplete and faulty German translation, edited by Dr Moritz Posselt (''Tagebuch des Generals Patrick Gordon'') was published, the first volume at Moscow in 1849, the second at [[St Petersburg]] in 1851, and the third at St Petersburg in 1853; and ''Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries'' (1635–1699), was printed, under the editorship of [[Joseph Robertson (historian)|Joseph Robertson]], for the [[Spalding Club]], at [[Aberdeen]], Scotland, 1859. A new full scholarly edition of Gordon's Diary in English was published by the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies in Aberdeen (6 vols, 2009–2016), as well as its translation into Russian.

His daughter Catherine was married firstly to the German-Russian Colonel Rudolf Strasburg, and then from 1698 to his kinsman in the Russian service [[Alexander Gordon (general)|Alexander Gordon of Auchintoul]], author of ''The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia''. She lived until 1739.<ref>Alexander Gordon, ''The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia: A short account of the Author's Life'' (1755) [https://books.google.com/books?id=kv0EAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR2&hl=en&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=0_1#PPR10,M1 page 10]</ref>