Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gordon, Robert (1791-1847)
GORDON, Sir ROBERT (1791–1847), diplomatist, was fifth son of George Gordon, lord Haddo, and brother of George Hamilton Gordon, fourth earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860) [q. v.], and of Sir Alexander Gordon [q. v.], who was killed at Waterloo. In 1810 he was appointed attaché; to the British embassy in Persia, and afterwards became secretary to the embassy at the Hague. He was associated with the Duke of Wellington as minister plenipotentiary at Vienna in 1815, 1817, and 1821. In July 1826 he was sent to the Brazils as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, being at the same time sworn a privy councillor. In 1828 he was sent to Constantinople as ambassador extraordinary with the object of re-establishing the friendly relations between this country and the Porte, which had been disturbed by the battle of Navarino. From this post he was recalled by Lord Grey's ministry in 1831, and took no further part in active life until he was appointed by Sir Robert Peel, in October 1841, ambassador extraordinary to Vienna, where he remained until he was replaced by Viscount Ponsonby in 1846.
Gordon was made a grand cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic order in 1819, and a Civil Grand Cross of the order of the Bath in 1829. He died suddenly at Balmoral on 8 Oct. 1847.
[Anderson's Scottish Biography; Gent. Mag. 1847; Haydn's Book of Dignities; Nouvelle Biographie Universelle.]