The title Duke of Abercorn () is a title in the
Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1868 and bestowed upon
James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn, (21 January 1811 – 31 October 1885), styled Viscount Hamilton from 1814 to 1818 and The Marquess of Abercorn from 1818 to 1868, was a British Conservative statesman who twice served as Lord Lieutenant of Ir ...
. Although the Dukedom is in the Peerage of Ireland, it refers to
Abercorn,
West Lothian
West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its shires of Scotland, historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geogra ...
, and the Duke also bears four titles in
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
and two in the
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...
, and is one of only three peers who have titles in those three peerages. The Duke of Abercorn also claims the French title of
Duke of Châtellerault
Duke of Châtellerault (french: duc de Châtellerault) is a French noble title that has been created several times, originally in the Peerage of France in 1515. It takes its name from Châtellerault, in the Vienne region.
The first title was cre ...
, created in 1548.
History
In acknowledgement of his loyalty,
James VI of Scotland
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...
(James I of England), conferred on the Hon. Claud Hamilton, third son of
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, the title Lord Paisley. His son James Hamilton was created Lord Abercorn on 5 April 1603, then on 10 July 1606 he was made Earl of Abercorn and Lord of Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcastell and Kilpatrick.
His successor, the 2nd Earl of Abercorn, was additionally created
Lord Hamilton, Baron of Strabane, in the
Peerage of Ireland, on 8 May 1617. He resigned this dignity to his younger brother in 1633; the brother's heirs inherited the Earldom and other titles in 1680, in the person of
Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn
Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn PC (Ire) (1659–1691) was a Scottish and Irish peer who fought for the Jacobites in the Williamite War. He went with King James to Derry in 1689 and tried to negotiate the surrender of the town with Adam M ...
. He was attainted in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
in 1691, and the Barony of
Strabane
Strabane ( ; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Strabane had a population of 13,172 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle. It is roughly midway from Omagh, Derry and Letterkenny. The River Foyle marks ...
forfeited, but his brother
Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn
Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn (died June 1701) succeeded his brother who had been attainted as a Jacobite and, having conformed to the established church, could get the attainder reversed.
Birth and origins
Charles was born betwee ...
, obtained a reversal of the attainder and recovered in 1692.
The 6th earl was at his accession an Irish
baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
, "of Dunalong in the County of Tyrone, and of Nenagh in the County of Tipperary" (1660). He was additionally created Baron Mountcastle and Viscount Strabane, in the Peerage of Ireland, on 2 September 1701. The 7th earl became the first of the Earls of Abercorn to be invested a
Privy Counsellor, having been appointed to both the English and Irish Privy Councils. The 8th earl was created Viscount Hamilton, of Hamilton, in the
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...
on 24 August 1786. He was succeeded by his nephew, who was created Marquess of Abercorn in the Peerage of Great Britain on 15 October 1790, after having sat in the
House of Commons as
MP for
East Looe
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
and for
St Germans. He was made a
Knight of the Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
in 1805.
The 2nd Marquess, who had been given the Garter in 1844, served as
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kingdo ...
from 1866 to 1868 (and again from 1874 to 1876); and on 10 August 1868, during his first term, he was created Marquess of Hamilton, of Strabane, and Duke of Abercorn (in the Peerage of Ireland). His successor, the 2nd Duke, continued the family tradition by being awarded the Garter in 1892; the 3rd Duke served as MP for
Londonderry and as
Governor of Northern Ireland
The governor of Northern Ireland was the principal officer and representative in Northern Ireland of the British monarch. The office was established on 9 December 1922 and abolished on 18 July 1973.
Overview
The office of Governor of Northern I ...
, along with being created a
Knight of St Patrick
The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is a dormant British order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by George III of the United Kingdom, King George III at the request of the then Lord Lieutenant of Irelan ...
and given the Garter. Currently, the holder of the Dukedom is
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, (born 4 July 1934), is a British nobleman, peer, and politician. He became Duke of Abercorn in the Peerage of Ireland on the death of his father in June 1979. He is the son of James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duk ...
, also a Knight of the Garter.
Of the subsidiary titles above, Marquess of Hamilton is the courtesy title of the
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
, and Viscount Strabane that of his heir-apparent.
The Dukes of Abercorn also claim the French title of ''
Duc de Châtellerault'', as heirs-male of the 2nd
Earl of Arran Earl of Arran may refer to:
*Earl of Arran (Scotland), a title in the Peerage of Scotland
*Earl of Arran (Ireland), a title in the Peerage of Ireland
*, a steamship 1860–1871
See also
*
*Earl of Arran and Cambridge
Duke of Hamilton is a t ...
, who was granted the title in 1548 by
Henry II of France
Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder bro ...
. Additionally, since the death of
William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton
William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton KG (14 December 161612 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 Palace in Decem ...
, in 1651, the Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Abercorn have been the rightful claimants to the peerage dignities of Earl of Arran (of the 1503 creation) and
Lord Hamilton (of the 1445 creation), both in the
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
, as the most senior heirs-male of
James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Châtellerault, 2nd Earl of Arran ( 1519 – 22 January 1575), was a Scottish nobleman and head of the House of Hamilton. A great-grandson of King James II of Scotland, he was heir presumptive to the Scottish thron ...
, and this title is reflected in their coat of arms, with an inescutcheon of three fleurs-de-lys and a French ducal crown.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
was a great-granddaughter of the 3rd Duke of Abercorn.
The family seat is
Baronscourt (usually known locally as Baronscourt Castle), a
neo-Classical country house on the Barons Court Estate near
Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart is a village and townland of in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray and lies on the River Strule below the confluence with its tributary the Owenkillew. It is situated in th ...
, Omagh, a village near
Strabane
Strabane ( ; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Strabane had a population of 13,172 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle. It is roughly midway from Omagh, Derry and Letterkenny. The River Foyle marks ...
,
County Tyrone
County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional Counties of Ireland, counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an admini ...
, Northern Ireland. The traditional burial place of the Dukes of Abercorn and their families is the cemetery at Baronscourt Parish Church.
Baronscourt Parish Church
/ref>
List of titleholders
Lords Paisley (1587)
*Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley (3 June 1546 – 3 May 1621) was a Scottish nobleman who fought at the Battle of Langside in 1568 for Mary, Queen of Scots. He is the ancestor of the earls, marquesses and dukes of Abercorn.
Birth and origin ...
(1543–1621) was a Scottish politician
**The 1st Earl of Abercorn was the 1st Lord's eldest son. He predeceased his father
*James Hamilton, 2nd Lord Paisley was already 2nd Earl of Abercorn
Earls of Abercorn (1606)
:''Other titles: Lord Abercorn, in the county of Linlithgow (Sc 1603) and Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcashell and Kirkpatrick (Sc 1606)''
*James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn PC (S) (1575–1618) was a Scottish diplomat for James VI and an undertaker in the Plantation of Ulster, Ireland.
Birth and origins
James was born on 12 August 1575, probabl ...
(1575–1618) had been created ''Lord Abercorn'' in 1603
:''Other titles (2nd Earl onwards): Lord Paisley
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
, in the county of Renfrew (Sc 1587)''
:''Other titles (2nd Earl): Baron Hamilton of Strabane
Lord Hamilton, Baron of Strabane, in the County Tyrone, County of Tyrone, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created on 8 May 1617, for James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn, James Hamilton, Master of Abercorn, eldest son of James Hamilton, 1st E ...
, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1617, res. 1633)''
*James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn ( – c. 1670) was a Catholic Scottish nobleman. He, his wife, his mother, and most of his family were persecuted by the kirk as recusants. Implementing his father's will, he gave his Irish title of Baron Ha ...
( – c. 1670), eldest son of the 1st Earl, succeeded his grandfather as 2nd Lord Paisley in 1621
** James Hamilton, Lord Paisley (c. 1633 – c. 1670), eldest son of the 2nd Earl, died without male issue
*George Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Abercorn
George Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Abercorn ( – before 1683) died unmarried in Padua on a voyage to Rome. He was succeeded by Claud Hamilton, heir of Claud Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane, second son of the 1st Earl of Abercorn.
Birth ...
(c. 1636–c. 1680), third and youngest son of the 2nd Earl, died unmarried
:''Other titles (4th Earl): Baron Hamilton of Strabane, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1617, suc. 1668, att. 1691)''
*Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn
Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn PC (Ire) (1659–1691) was a Scottish and Irish peer who fought for the Jacobites in the Williamite War. He went with King James to Derry in 1689 and tried to negotiate the surrender of the town with Adam M ...
(c. 1659–c. 1691), already 5th Lord Hamilton, was descended from the 3rd son of the 1st Earl. He died unmarried
:''Other titles (5th Earl onwards): Baron Hamilton of Strabane, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1617, rest. 1692)''
*Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn
Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn (died June 1701) succeeded his brother who had been attainted as a Jacobite and, having conformed to the established church, could get the attainder reversed.
Birth and origins
Charles was born betwee ...
(died 1701), younger brother of the 4th Earl, died without issue
* James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn (c. 1661–1734), eldest son of Col James, himself eldest son of Sir George, himself fourth and youngest son of the 1st Earl
:''Other titles (7th Earl onwards): Viscount Strabane and Baron Mountcastle, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1701)''
*James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn PC (Ire) (1686–1744), styled Lord Paisley from 1701 to 1734, was a Scottish and Irish nobleman and peer. An amateur scientist and musician, he published a book on magnetism in 1729 and a treatise on musi ...
(1685–1744), eldest son of the 6th Earl
:''Other tiles (8th Earl onwards): Viscount Hamilton
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status.
In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
(GB 1786)''
* James Hamilton, 8th Earl of Abercorn (1712–1789), eldest son of the 7th Earl, died unmarried
* John Hamilton, 9th Earl of Abercorn (1756–1818) was created Marquess of Abercorn in 1790
Marquesses of Abercorn (1790)
:''Other titles: Earl of Abercorn (Sc 1606), Viscount Strabane (Ir 1701), Viscount Hamilton (GB 1786), Lord Paisley, in the county of Renfrew (Sc 1587), Lord Abercorn, in the county of Linlithgow (Sc 1603), Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcashell and Kirkpatrick (Sc 1606), Lord Hamilton of Strabane, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1617) and Baron Mountcastle, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1701)''
*John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
(1756–1818), only son of Capt John, himself second son of the 7th Earl
** James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton (1786–1814), elder son of the 1st Marquess, predeceased his father
*James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn, (21 January 1811 – 31 October 1885), styled Viscount Hamilton from 1814 to 1818 and The Marquess of Abercorn from 1818 to 1868, was a British Conservative statesman who twice served as Lord Lieutenant of Ir ...
(1811–1885) was created Duke of Abercorn in 1868
Dukes of Abercorn (1868)
:''Other titles: Marquess of Abercorn (GB 1790), Marquess of Hamilton, of Strabane in the county of Tyrone (1868), Earl of Abercorn (Sc 1606), Viscount Strabane (Ir 1701), Viscount Hamilton (GB 1786), Lord Paisley, in the county of Renfrew (Sc 1587), Lord Abercorn, in the county of Linlithgow (Sc 1603), Lord Paisley, Hamilton, Mountcashell and Kirkpatrick (Sc 1606), Lord Hamilton of Strabane, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1617) and Baron Mountcastle, in the county of Tyrone (Ir 1701)''
* James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn (1811–1885), elder son of Lord Hamilton
* James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn (1838–1913), eldest son of the 1st Duke
* James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn (1869–1953), eldest son of the 2nd Duke. His daughter Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer
Cynthia Ellinor Beatrix Spencer, Countess Spencer (''née'' Hamilton; 16 August 1897 – 4 December 1972) was a British peeress and the paternal grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Life and family
Cynthia Hamilton was the daughter of ...
was grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
.
*James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn
James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn (29 February 1904 – 4 June 1979) styled Viscount Strabane until 1913 and Marquess of Hamilton between 1913 and 1953, was a British peer. He was the son of James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn, and La ...
(1904–1979), elder son of the 3rd Duke.
*James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, (born 4 July 1934), is a British nobleman, peer, and politician. He became Duke of Abercorn in the Peerage of Ireland on the death of his father in June 1979. He is the son of James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duk ...
(born 1934), elder son of the 4th Duke
Line of succession
*
''James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn
James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn (29 February 1904 – 4 June 1979) styled Viscount Strabane until 1913 and Marquess of Hamilton between 1913 and 1953, was a British peer. He was the son of James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn, and La ...
(1904–1979)''
**
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, (born 4 July 1934), is a British nobleman, peer, and politician. He became Duke of Abercorn in the Peerage of Ireland on the death of his father in June 1979. He is the son of James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duk ...
(b. 1934)
***(1) James Hamilton, ''Marquess of Hamilton'' (b. 1969)
****(2) James Hamilton, ''Viscount Strabane'' (b. 2005)
****(3) ''Lord'' Claud Hamilton (b. 2007)
***(4) ''Lord'' Nicholas Hamilton (b. 1979)
**(5) ''Lord'' Claud Hamilton (b. 1939)
***(6) Alexander Hamilton (b. 1987)
Family tree
See also
*Duchess of Abercorn (disambiguation) Duchess of Abercorn is typically a title of the wife of the Duke of Abercorn, and may refer to:
* Louisa Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn (1812–1905), wife of the 1st Duke
* Mary Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn (1848–1929), wife of the 2nd Duke
* Ro ...
*Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
* Earl of Arran (Scotland)
* Hamilton baronets
* Proby baronets of Elton Hall
*Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands.
Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also in France and Sweden. The f ...
References
External links
Baronscourt House official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abercorn, Duke Of
Dukedoms in the Peerage of Ireland
Noble titles created in 1868
County Tyrone
1868 establishments in Ireland
Lists of dukes in Ireland
British landowners