Sir John Henderson, 5th of Fordell (3 November 1605, Fife, Scotland – 11 March 1650, Denmark) was a Scottish laird and mercenary, distinguished as a Cavalier in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
He was born in 1605[1] at Fordell Castle, Fife. A distinguished soldier, Fordell had been enslaved by Barbary pirates when commanding on the East African coast. He then supposedly fell in love with the Princess of Zanzibar who he contrived to escape to Egypt with.[2][3] Later, Fordell was a mercenary, serving with the military for Denmark, Sweden, and elsewhere,[4] and fought on the side of the Royalists in the Civil War. He was invested as a Knight by King Charles I.
- ^ "John Henderson". Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
Born: 3 Nov 1605, Fordel, Fifeshire, Scotland. Marriage: Margaret Menteith. Died: 11 Mar 1650, Fordel, Fifeshire, Scotland at age 44.
- ^ Gray, Sir John (Sept 1955) "Sir John Henderson and the Princess of Zanzibar" in Tanganyika Notes and Records pp. 15-19.
- ^ Friar, Walter (1731) "Portrait of the Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant" (inscribed centre left: "JOHN HENDERSON of FORDELL Travelling in his youth thro several parts of Asia and Africa from y 1618 to y 1628 was delivered unto Slavery by a Barbari Prince in Zarquebar on the Cost of Africa where Princefs of that Countrie falling in love with him Even to Renoincing her Religion and Countrie contrived the mians of both their Escape and getting a board a ship trading up y Red Sea landed cam to Alexandre(a) where she died whofe Picture Mr Henderson cauised to take with her black Maid after their oun Country habett from y original Picture at oterston by W. Frier 1731"); "Portrait of the Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant".
- ^ Murdoch, Steve and Worthington, David, "John Henderson [SSNE 53]", University of St Andrews Institute of Scottish Historical Research.