William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton
Predecessor | James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton |
---|---|
Successor | Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton |
Other titles | Earl of Lanark, Earl of Cambridge, Lord Machanshyre, Lord Polmont |
Born | 14 December 1616 Hamilton, South Lanarkshire |
Died | 12 September 1651 The Commandery, Worcester | (aged 34)
Buried | Worcester Cathedral |
Noble family | Hamilton |
Spouse(s) | Lady Elizabeth Maxwell |
Issue |
|
Father | James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton |
Mother | Lady Ann Cunningham |
William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton KG (14 December 1616 – 12 September 1651) was a Scottish nobleman who supported both Royalist and Presbyterian causes during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Life
Hamilton was born at
Hamilton was created Earl of Lanark, Lord Machanshyre and Polmont in the
After taking part in the
In 1648 Hamilton fled to Holland to the court in exile of the Prince of Wales at The Hague. The following year he succeeded to the Dukedom of Hamilton, the Marquisate of Hamilton, the Earldoms of Arran and Cambridge and Lordhips of Aven and Innerdale following his brother's execution, making him the most senior figure among the Scots Royalist exiles. In 1650, the insignia of the Order of the Garter were conferred upon him. He returned to Scotland with King Charles II in 1650, but, finding a reconciliation with the Marquess of Argyll impossible, he refused to prejudice Charles's cause by pushing his claims.[3]
Hamilton retired to his estates on the Isle of Arran until the Scottish invasion of England during the 1650 to 1652 Anglo-Scottish War, when he acted as colonel of a regiment drawn mainly from his tenantry.[3]
Hamilton died from the effects of wounds received at the Battle of Worcester, at The Commandery, Charles II's headquarters in that city. A neighbouring street, Hamilton Road, is named in his honour.
Family
Hamilton married Lady Elizabeth Maxwell, daughter of James Maxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun on 26 May 1638, and had issue:[4]
- James Hamilton, Lord Polmont (died in infancy, buried at Westminster Abbey)
- Lady Anne Hamilton, married Robert Carnegie, 3rd Earl of Southesk
- Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, married 1st Robertland
- Lady Mary Hamilton, married 1st Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Callendar, 2nd Sir James Livingstone of Westquarter, 3rd James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater
- Lady Margaret Hamilton, married William Blair of that ilk.
- Lady Diana Hamilton, (died in infancy)
Leaving four daughters but no male heirs, according to the remainder, the dukedom of Hamilton devolved on Hamilton's eldest surviving niece, Anne, who became Duchess of Hamilton in her own right.[3]
In literature
A highly fictionalised Hamilton is depicted in Nigel Tranter's Montrose trilogy.
Notes
References
- Anderson, John, Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton; with genealogical memoirs of the several branches of the family. Edinburgh 1825 [1]
- Balfour Paul, Sir JamesThe Scots Peerage Vols IX. Edinburgh 1907 [2]
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hamilton, Marquesses and Dukes of s.v. William, 2nd duke of Hamilton". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 879–880. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
External links