James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and 2nd Lord Hamilton (c. 14751529) was a
Scottish nobleman, naval commander and first cousin of
James IV of Scotland. He also served as the 9th
Lord High Admiral of Scotland.
Early life
He was the eldest of two sons of
James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, 6th Laird of Cadzow (c. 1415 – 6 November 1479) was a Scottish nobleman, scholar and politician.
Early life
James Hamilton was the son of James Hamilton of Cadzow, 5th Laird of Cadzow. He was born at Cadz ...
, and his wife,
Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran
Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran (13 May 1453 – May 1488)Charles Cawley, . Updated 24 May 2011 was the eldest daughter of King James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders. King James III of Scotland was her eldest brother. She married twice: first ...
. Mary was a daughter of King
James II of Scotland and his
Queen consort Mary of Guelders
Mary of Guelders (; c. 1434/1435 – 1 December 1463) was Queen of Scotland by marriage to King James II of Scotland. She ruled as regent of Scotland from 1460 to 1463.
Background
She was the daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders, and Cath ...
, and a sister of King
James III of Scotland
James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh ...
.
Hamilton succeeded to his father's lordship, inheriting his lands when his father died in 1479. In 1489 his first cousin King
James IV
James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...
made him
Sheriff of
Lanark
Lanark (; gd, Lannraig ; sco, Lanrik) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a population of 9 ...
, a position his father had previously held, and a
Scottish Privy Counsellor.
By 28 April 1490 he was married to Elizabeth Home, daughter of Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home
Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home (c.1450s – 5 September 1506) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, Lord Chamberlain of Scotland and Warden of the Eastern March.
Life
Lord Home was the son of Alexander Home, Master of Home and Agnes Hepburn, ...
.[
]
Naval career
Between April and August 1502, Hamilton commanded a naval fleet sent to help King Hans of Denmark, James IV's uncle, defeat a Swedish-Norwegian rebellion. He negotiated James's marriage to Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Ma ...
and was present at the wedding on 8 August 1503. On the same day Lord Hamilton was created Earl of Arran, with the formal grant three days later, "for his nearness of blood" and his services at the time of the marriage. He was appointed Lieutenant General of Scotland and in May 1504 commanded a naval expedition to suppress an uprising in the Western Isles
The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coast ...
.
In September 1507, James IV sent Hamilton as his ambassador on a diplomatic mission to the court of Louis XII of France. When returning in early 1508, he was briefly detained in the Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various History of Anglo-Saxon England, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Kingdom of Scotland, ...
by Henry VII, who was suspicious of a renewal of the Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance ( Scots for "Old Alliance"; ; ) is an alliance made in 1295 between the kingdoms of Scotland and France against England. The Scots word ''auld'', meaning ''old'', has become a partly affectionate term for the long-lasting a ...
between Scotland and France.[
When ]Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
joined the War of the League of Cambrai
The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and several other names, was fought from February 1508 to December 1516 as part of the Italian Wars of 1494–1559. The main participants of the war, who fough ...
by invading France in 1513, Scotland came under pressure to support France against England. Hamilton was given command of the Scottish naval fleet. He first sailed to Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
and attacked Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,998 at the 2011 Census. It is County Antrim's oldest ...
, the main English stronghold there. The fleet then sailed to France, arriving there in September 1513, too late to be much help as the Scottish army had been defeated at the Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
in England on 9 September, with James IV being killed in battle.[
]
Politician
During the minority of King James V
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and dur ...
, Hamilton opposed Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 148922 January 1557) was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and suc ...
and the English party. He plotted against the Regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (8 July 14822 July 1536) was the regent of the Kingdom of Scotland and the count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.
Early life
John was a son of Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, son of King James II of S ...
, and was president of the council of regency during Albany's absence in France from 1517 to 1520. The same year he led an expedition to the border to punish the murderers of the French knight Antoine d'Arces
Antoine d'Arcy, sieur de la Bastie-sur-Meylan and of Lissieu, (d. 17 September 1517) was a French nobleman involved in the government of Scotland.
The White Knight
Antoine d'Arces, or d'Arcy, is usually known as "De la Bastie" or "Labatie" in Sco ...
("De la Bastie").
He was defeated in an attempt to overpower Angus in the streets of Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
in 1520, a riot known as " Cleanse the Causeway". He was again a member of the council of regency
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...
in 1522 and Lieutenant of the South. He joined the Queen Dowager Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Ma ...
in ousting Albany and proclaiming James V in 1524.
In the same year, Hamilton was compelled by Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
to readmit Angus to the council. He supported Angus against John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox
John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox (4 September 1526, Linlithgow, West Lothian) was a prominent Scottish magnate. He was the son of Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox and Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton and ...
in 1526 at the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge, but on the escape of James V from the Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...
es, Hamilton received Bothwell from Angus's forfeited estates.
Marriage and children
James Hamilton was married firstly, around 1490, to Elizabeth Home, daughter of Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home
Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home (c.1450s – 5 September 1506) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, Lord Chamberlain of Scotland and Warden of the Eastern March.
Life
Lord Home was the son of Alexander Home, Master of Home and Agnes Hepburn, ...
by his second wife, Nichola Ker. The marriage was dissolved in 1506, when it was found that her first husband Thomas Hay, a son of John Hay, 1st Lord Hay of Yester
John Hay, 1st Lord Hay of Yester (c. 1450 – after October 1508) is the ancestor of the Marquesses of Tweeddale. He was created a Lord of Parliament on 29 January 1488 by James III of Scotland.
He was born in Peebleshire, the son of Sir David Hay ...
, was still alive at the time of the wedding.
In November 1504, Hamilton had been granted a divorce from Elizabeth Home on the grounds that she had previously been married to Thomas Hay. Hay had apparently left the country and was thought to be dead when Hamilton married Home, in or before 1490, but in fact he did not die until 1491 or later. This award of divorce was repeated in 1510, suggesting that Hamilton had continued living with her, after 1504, and was held by some to undermine the dissolution of the first marriage as invalid. It is likely that the real motive for divorcing Elizabeth was that she had not born any children, and that Hamilton wanted a legitimate heir; he already had several illegitimate children, his eldest illegitimate son being James Hamilton of Finnart.[ The complicated legal issues of the first marriage would continue to trouble his heir, whose legitimacy was questioned by his rivals in 1543.
Hamilton was married secondly, in November 1516, to Janet Bethune, daughter of Sir David Betoun of Creich, and widow of Sir Robert Livingstone of Easter Wemyss, who had been killed at the ]Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
. Arran and Janet Bethune had at least four children:
* Lady Helen Hamilton, who married Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll or Archibald "the Red" Campbell (c. 1507 – 1558), was a Scottish nobleman and politician.
Biography
Archibald Campbell was the eldest son of Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll (died 1529) and L ...
.
* James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambigua ...
, who later became Duke of Châtelherault
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
and governor of Scotland, during the minority of Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
.
* Lady Janet Hamilton, who married Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn.
* A son, name unknown.
Hamilton had further illegitimate issue.
* James Hamilton of Finnart
* Elizabeth Hamilton, who married Thomas of Kirkton Weir (born c. 1570).
* John Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews
The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...
and treasurer of Scotland
The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre- Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.
Lord Treasurer
The full title of the post was ''Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation'', ...
.
Children of James Hamilton and his mistress, Beatrix Drummond, daughter of John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond
{{Infobox noble
, name = John Drummond
, title = Lord Drummond
, image =
, caption =
, alt =
, CoA =
, more = no
, succession =
, reign ...
and Lady Elizabeth Lindsay:[G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910–1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, 2000), volume I, p. 222.]
*Margaret Hamilton, who married Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Avondale and 1st Lord Ochiltree.
*Sir John Hamilton of Samuelston (aka Clydesdale John), who married Janet Home, only legitimate daughter and heiress of Alexander Home, 3rd Lord Home
Alexander Home, 3rd Lord Home (died 1516) was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, Chamberlain of Scotland and Warden of the Eastern March. He fought at the Battle of Flodden where his forces defeated the English right wing before the Scottish army ...
and Lady Agnes Stewart.
He is an ancestor of Alexander Hamilton.
Ancestors
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arran, James Hamilton, 1st Earl of
1470s births
1529 deaths
Year of birth uncertain
Hamilton, James, 1st Earl of
Lord High Admirals of Scotland
Members of the pre-1707 Parliament of Scotland
People from North Ayrshire
Members of the Privy Council of Scotland
Provosts of Edinburgh
Court of James IV of Scotland
James
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguati ...
15th-century Scottish military personnel
16th-century Scottish military personnel
15th-century Scottish peers
16th-century Scottish peers
16th-century Scottish landowners