William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland

William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland, previously named William Gordon, 17th Earl of Sutherland, (1708–1750), was a Scottish nobleman and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.

Early life

Born William Gordon in 1708, he was the son of William Gordon, Lord Strathnaver and grandson of John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland. His mother was Catherine Morison.

Jacobite rising of 1745

During the Jacobite rising of 1745, William, 17th Earl of Sutherland supported the British-Hanoverian Government. During the rising the Jacobites stormed the Earl's home at Dunrobin Castle, but he narrowly escaped them through a back door and sailed to join the army of Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. One day before the Battle of Culloden where the Jacobites were finally defeated, an Independent Highland Company of soldiers that were raised from the Clan Sutherland by the Earl of Sutherland, took part in the Battle of Littleferry in support of the Government where the Jacobites were also defeated. William, 17th Earl of Sutherland had in fact raised two Independent Highland Companies to support the Government and he was also present at the Battle of Culloden. Despite of this some people in the Government were unhappy with the Earl's strength of support and he struggled to prove to the parliament in London that he had not had Jacobite sympathies.

Family

William Sutherland (previously Gordon), 17th Earl of Sutherland married Elizabeth Wemyss, daughter of David Wemyss and they had the following children:

1. William Sutherland, 18th Earl of Sutherland (1735 - 1766)
2. Elizabeth Gordon (d.1803)