LESLIE, LUDOVICK [SSNE 396]

Surname: LESLIE, LESSLE, LESLEY
First name: LUDOVICK, LUDOWICK, LUDVIG, LEWIS, LOUIS
Title/rank: COLONEL
Nationality: SCOT
Region: LINDORES, FIFE
Social status: OFFICER

Text source

Ludovick Leslie was the son of Patrick Leslie of Lindores, and thus a brother of David Leslie [SSNE 2920]. His mother was Jean, daughter of Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney. His father had been one of the "gentlemen adventurers" involved in the plantation of Lewis, as James Spens [SSNE 1642] had also been. It may have been through this connection that he was encouraged to enter military service in Scandinavia. He first entered Danish-Norwegian military service and in August 1627 he asked to transport 160 men to Denmark to be used in the campaign against the Habsburg Empire in support of the exiled Bohemian king and queen. Along with many other Scottish officers and troops he transferred to Swedish service around 1629, after King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway signed the treaty of Lubeck with the Emperor. In March 1630 he and his company were in Elbing awaiting orders. He became a major in Alexander Hamilton's [SSNE 380] regiment until 1630 after which he acted as lieutenant colonel in John Hamilton's [SSNE 2589] regiment until 1632, after which time he took over that regiment. In early 1631 he was engaged in recruiting 400-500 reinforcements in Scotland for the regiment at his own expense, although Chancellor Oxenstierna had provided him with 500 riksdaler and promised reimbursement on successful completion. He became full colonel of that regiment and with it he fought at the battle of Lutzen where he also commanded part of the regiment of William Bellenden [SSNE 1969]. On 24 April 1638 he was awarded a pension of 1000 riksdaler, although his later career indicates that he re-entered Swedish service. In the meantime he returned to Scotland during the time of the Bishops' Wars (1638-1641) when the Covenanting army fought against King Charles I, and many hundreds of Scottish officers left Continental service to return home. He probably returned to Scotland by 1642 as Alexander Leslie [SSNE 1] received two letters from Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna from him that year. By the end of 1643 Leslie was the Quartermaster General of the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant. In January 1644 he entered England with his army along with General Alexander Leslie. His account of the battle of Marston Moor, 2 July 1644 (as reported by Robert Leslie) can be found in Aberdeen City Archives). The following March he was the governor of Sunderland and subsequently, in November, of Tynemouth Castle, from where he only withdrew in January 1647. From 1645 he also served as colonel of Aytoun's regiment of foot who were engaged at the siege of Newark. During 1646 Leslie's troop was quartered in Northumberland and in Westmorland. The unit was disbanded in February 1647. Leslie then served as colonel of Stewart's regiment of foot from 1647-1648, and supported the Engagers. He acted as governor of Berwick until late September 1648, and his regiment then disbanded. That year he had bought land at Reid Inch from William Oliphant of Balgonie. In March 1653 he obtained a travel pass to go to Denmark and was still in service in 1657. In 1652 he witnessed a document for Lady Jane Ruthven [SSNE 6301], Patrick Ruthven's [SSNE 3413] daughter and a courtier to Queen Kristina.He is probably the same man as Louis Leslie [SSNE 218], noted by Lind as a captain in the Danish-Norwegian army in 1627.

Sources: Coyetska samlingen, ca.1652/3?Memorandum for my cusing Patrick Chalmers (undated) signed Lo Leslie 1.to procure a comison from his majestie to lift him a regiment on my own chairge so schoun as can recover my mones 2.to procure a letter of mark for that effect 3.to procure a letter from his majestie to my Lord protector for the said comison 4.to pre[sent] a letter to my lord Flitwud to that effect and lay? that he may beind? e in geting ane letter to the governor in Scotland from his haynes that I can be aibel to call my tenands to acompt upo the ? my living this aught yeires in th? land of my good ?wherby I can be more able to doe and continue in his majesties service as I have donne this 28 yeres by past 5.the cost I co? to my nobell friend Colonel Ogilvie youu]r loving cusing to serve your Lo Leslie

Swedish Riksarkiv, Coyetska Samlingen, E3398 and E3400, vol,4, f.57; National Archives of Scotland, GD 246/box 26/bundle 5, f.20; R. Monro, His Expedition with a worthy Scots Regiment called Mac-Keyes (2 vols., London, 1637), II, The List of the Scottish Officers in Chiefe, list 1; Rikskansleren Axel Oxenstiernas skrifter och brefvexling, first series, V, pp.179, 454; ibid, VI, pp.42, 58, 59, 340, 350; E. Furgol, A Regimental History of the Covenanting Armies, (Edinburgh, 1990), pp.113-4, 156, 158, 264; T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.114; Aberdeen City Archives, CA812, Incoming Letter Book 2, 1634-1644. Robert Leslie (citing Ludovick Leslie) to Aberdeen Council, 8 July 1644; J.A. Fallon, 'Scottish Mercenaries in the service of Denmark and Sweden 1626-1632' unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Glasgow, 1972, p. 166; W. Fraser, The Melvilles Earls of Melville and the Leslies Earls of Leven, vol.2, (Edinburgh, 1890), p.91; Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage, vol.v, p.384; G. Lind, Danish Data Archive 1573; Steve Murdoch, Network North: Scottish Kin, Commercial and Covert Associations in Northern Europe, 1603-1746 (Brill, Leiden, 2006), p.223.

Bishops Wars; English Civil War; British Civil Wars

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, DANISH ARMY: Arrived 1627-01-01, as CAPTAIN; Departed 1627-12-31, as CAPTAIN; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN, ALEXANDER/JOHN HAMILTON: Arrived 1629-01-01, as MAJOR; Departed 1632-12-31, as LT. COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN, LUDOVICK LESLIE'S REGIMENT: Arrived 1632-12-01, as COLONEL; Departed 1638-04-01, as COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SCOTLAND, STUART KINGDOMS, ARMY OF THE SOLEMN LEAGUE MARSTON MOOR: Arrived 1643-11-01, as QUATERMASTER GENERAL; Departed 1645-03-01, as QUARTERMASTER GENERAL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SCOTLAND, AYTOUN'S REGIMENT OF FOOT: Arrived 1645-03-01, as COLONEL; Departed 1647-01-31, as COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SCOTLAND, TYNEMOUTH CASTLE: Arrived 1645-11-23, as GOVERNOR; Departed 1647-01-30, as GOVERNOR; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SCOTLAND, STEWART'S REGIMENT OF FOOT: Arrived 1647-02-17, as COLONEL; Departed 1648-09-30, as COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SCOTLAND, BERWICK CASTLE: Arrived 1648-01-01, as GOVERNOR; Departed 1648-09-30, as GOVERNOR; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN,: Arrived 1653-03-01, as COLONEL; Departed 1657-12-31, as COLONEL; Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY