RANKINE, ARCHIBALD [SSNE 6284]

Surname

RANKINE, RANKIN

First name

ARCHIBALD, ARCHIBALDUS

Nationality

SCOT

Text source

In 1617 Archibald Rankine became an agent of King Gustav II Adolf's in London, with a salary of 500 riksdaler per annum. In 1619 he recieved correspondence from Poland which he shared with James Spens [SSNE 1642]. He was again mentioned in Johan Skytte's letter to James Spens, dated October 1624, wherein Skytte notes that Spens' intercession with him on behalf of Rankine was no trouble. Further, Skytte volunteers that Rankine's outstanding salary will be sent to him either through the merchant Sanderson, or a Scot named Cramond who had delivered the Rankine letter to Skytte. He appears to have remained in Swedish service until the 1630s. In October 1630 whilst Rankine was returning from a mission to Gustav II Adolf on behalf of King Charles I, he was instructed to obtain weapons and ammunition in preparation for the Duke of Hamilton's levy [SSNE 1348]. Thomas Roe [SSNE 4421] wrote the Swedish king from Gedani on 9 March 1630.

Sources: Swedish Riksarkiv, Anglica 5, 6 October 1624; Steve Murdoch, Network North: Scottish Kin, Commercial and Covert Associations in Northern Europe, 1603-1746 (Brill, Leiden, 2006), pp.258-259, 262, 264, 272-276; Swedish Riksarkiv, Oxenstiernska samlingen, E724, James Spens to Axel Oxenstierna, 7 March 1619; Swedish Riksarkiv, Anglica 522, Thomas Roe to Gustav II Adolf, 19 March, 1629-1630; S. Tunberg, et al. Den Svenska Utrikes Förvaltningens Historia, (Uppsala, 1935), pp.74-5; Swedish Riksarkiv, Oxenstierna Samlingen, E692; Swedish Krigsarkiv, Småsamlingar, Skuldböcker, vol.7. Thanks to Professor Heiko Droste for the last two references.

Service record

SWEDEN, LONDON

Arrived 1617-01-01

Departed 1630-12-31

Capacity ENVOY, purpose DIPLOMACY

SWEDEN, GEDANI [KEDANY], POLAND-LITHUANIA

Arrived 1630-03-09

Capacity AGENT, purpose DIPLOMACY