Thomas Edward Gordon

Sir Thomas Edward Gordon (12 January 1832 – 23 March 1914) was a Scottish soldier, diplomat, and traveller. A British Army officer, he fought in India, served as a diplomat in Tehran, and travelled across the Pamirs. He is primarily remembered as an author of several books about India, Persia (modern-day Iran), and Central Asia of the 19th century.

Early life

Gordon was born on 12 January 1832 in Aberdeen and was a twin son of Captain William Gordon (1788–1834) of the 2nd Queen's Royal Regiment. His father had served in the Peninsular War and was married at Santarém, in 1818, to Marianna Carlotta Loi Gonçalves de Mello, daughter of Luiz Gonçalves de Mello, a Spanish government official in the province of Estremadura.

His father William Gordon was one of the sons of Adam Gordon (1750–1831) of Griamachary in the parish of Kildonan, Dingwall, whose sons and grandsons included thirteen commissioned officers, a Surgeon-General, Huntly George Gordon; and a Lord Advocate and MP, Edward Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn.

He and his twin brother, Sir John James Hood Gordon, were the youngest children in a family of four sons and a daughter. The twins were educated at the Scottish Naval and Military Academy, Edinburgh. Thomas Edward and John joined the British Army on the same day; both became generals and were knighted.

Army career

Alongside his twin brother, Thomas entered the British Army, joining the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot on 21 August 1849. He transferred to the Army in India and served in the Indian Mutiny campaign of 1857–1858.