RAMSAY, ALEXANDER [SSNE 230]

Surname

RAMSAY

First name

ALEXANDER

Title/rank

MAJOR

Nationality

SCOT

Region

Social status

OFFICER

Education

Religion

Text source

Alexander Ramsay was the brother of Andrew [SSNE 7273] who had been employed to take a letter from King Gustav II Adolf to James Spens [SSNE 1642] in 1611. Upon his return to Scotland, Andrew called on his brother Alexander, Robert Kerr [SSNE] and Captains George Hay [SSNE 4236] and George Sinclair [SSNE 4233]to recruit for Sweden. In 1612 Alexander Ramsay set sail from Dundee for Norway. he survived the ill-fated journey through Norway with two companies of Scottish recruits. He was captured and forced in to Danish service, although he was later released and handed over to James VI. One source claims he was one of only four - including James Scott [SSNE 7274], Henry Bruce [SSNE 241] and James Moneypenny [SSNE 245] - who were taken in by Robert Anstruther [SSNE 1472] and returned home after a summary interrogation. Ramsay later joined the Swedish army. He is possibly the same as [SSNE 1183].

T. Michell, History of the Scottish Expedition to Norway in 1612, (Christiania, 1886), pp. 141-6, 157-7, 177-8, 180-3; G. Lind, Danish Data Archive 1573; T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), pp.215-267; T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.110; T. Mathison, Fra Bondeoppbud til legsdhaer, (Oslo, 1952), pp.115-120.

Service record

SWEDEN, NORWAY

Arrived 1612-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1612-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity CAPTAIN, purpose MILITARY

DENMARK-NORWAY, DANISH ARMY

Arrived 1625-05-01, as MAJOR

Departed 1625-12-15, as MAJOR

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY