Sir George Hamilton, Comte Hamilton
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Sir George Hamilton, Comte d'Hamilton (died 1676) was an Irish soldier in English and French service as well as a courtier at Charles II's
Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...
. At Whitehall he was a favourite of the King. He courted La belle Stuart and married Frances Jennings, the future Lady Tyrconnell, who was then a
maid of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...
of the
Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. Three of the eleven Dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, while two of the Dukes married twice; therefore, th ...
. He appears in the ''Mémoires du comte de Grammont'', written by his brother
Anthony Anthony, also spelled Antony, is a masculine given name derived from the '' Antonii'', a '' gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descenda ...
. He began his military career as an officer in the Life Guards but was dismissed in an anti-Catholic purge in 1667, upon which he took French service and commanded English ''gens d'armes'' and then an Irish regiment in the
Franco-Dutch War The Franco-Dutch War, 1672 to 1678, was primarily fought by Kingdom of France, France and the Dutch Republic, with both sides backed at different times by a variety of allies. Related conflicts include the 1672 to 1674 Third Anglo-Dutch War and ...
(1672–1678). He served under
Turenne Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne (), was a French general and one of only six marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of th ...
at the battles of
Sinsheim Sinsheim (; ) is a town in southwestern Germany, in the Rhine Neckar Area of the state Baden-Württemberg about southeast of Heidelberg and about northwest of Heilbronn in the district Rhein-Neckar. Geography Overview Sinsheim consists o ...
and
Entzheim Entzheim (; ) is a commune, in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. The Strasbourg Airport is located in the commune. Climate The climate is oceanic (Köppen: ''Cfb''), more extreme than most other French cities ...
in 1674. He was at Sasbach (1675), when Turenne was killed. He then covered the retreat at Altenheim. He was killed in 1676 in a rearguard action at the
Col de Saverne The Col de Saverne (, Pass of Saverne or Saverne Pass; , ) is a 410-m high natural pass in the north of the Vosges mountains, near Saverne, which permits travel between the départements of Bas-Rhin and Moselle, and therefore between Alsace an ...
while serving under Marshal
Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
. His final rank was ''
Maréchal de camp ''Maréchal de camp'' (sometimes incorrectly translated as field marshal) was a general officer rank used by the French Army until 1848. The rank originated from the older rank of sergeant major general ( French: ''sergent-major général'') ...
'' (major-general). He was known as "comte", but whether he was really ennobled by
Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
is not sure.


Birth and origins

George was probably born in the late 1630s or early 1640s in Ireland. He was the second son of George Hamilton and his wife Mary Butler. His father was Scottish, the fourth son of
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 (a term for a British colonist) in the Plantation of Ulster in the north of Ireland. Birth and origins ...
, and would in 1660 be created Baronet of Donalong and
Nenagh Nenagh ( ; , or simply 'the Fair') is the county town of County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the East Munster Ormond Fair. Nenagh was the county town of the former county of Nort ...
. The Dunnalong (or Donalong) estate, south of
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
, was his father's share of the land granted to his grandfather Abercorn during the
Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ) was the organised Settler colonialism, colonisation (''Plantation (settlement or colony), plantation'') of Ulstera Provinces of Ireland, province of Irelandby people from Great ...
. George's mother was half Irish and half English, the third daughter of
Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (before 1596 – 1619) was the son and heir apparent of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond (1559–1633), whom he predeceased. He lived at the Westgate Castle in Thurles, County Tipperary. He was accused of tr ...
and his English Catholic wife Elizabeth Poyntz. Viscount Thurles (
courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...
) predeceased his father,
Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond Sir Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and 4th Earl of Ossory (1559–1633), succeeded his uncle Black Tom, the 10th earl, in 1614. He was called "Walter of the Beads" because he was a devout Catholic, whereas his uncle had been a Protestant. ...
, and therefore never succeeded to the earldom. The
Butlers A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some al ...
were
Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
. George's mother also was a sister of James Butler, making her husband a brother-in-law of the lord lieutenant. George's parents have often been confused with another George Hamilton, married with another Mary Butler. These are his father's uncle Sir
George Hamilton of Greenlaw and Roscrea Sir George Hamilton of Greenlaw and Roscrea (died between 1631 and 1657) was an undertaker in the Plantation of Ulster. Born and bred in Scotland, by 1611 he had moved to Ireland with his Scottish wife to occupy his plantation grant. In 1630 ...
and his wife Mary, sixth daughter of
Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond Sir Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and 4th Earl of Ossory (1559–1633), succeeded his uncle Black Tom, the 10th earl, in 1614. He was called "Walter of the Beads" because he was a devout Catholic, whereas his uncle had been a Protestant. ...
. This other George Hamilton lived in Roscrea. George was one of nine siblings. See
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
,
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...
,
Anthony Anthony, also spelled Antony, is a masculine given name derived from the '' Antonii'', a '' gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descenda ...
,
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
, and
John 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 ...
. Both his parents were Catholic, but some relatives, on his father's as on his mother's side, were
Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
. His grandfather,
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 (a term for a British colonist) in the Plantation of Ulster in the north of Ireland. Birth and origins ...
, had been a Protestant, but his father and all his paternal uncles were raised as Catholics due to the influence of his paternal grandmother, Marion Boyd, a
recusant Recusancy (from ) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign of Elizabeth I, and temporarily repea ...
. Some branches of the Hamilton family were Protestant, such as that of his father's second cousin Gustavus (1642–1723). His mother's family, the
Butlers A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some al ...
, were generally Catholic with the exception of the future 1st Duke of Ormond, his maternal uncle. His eldest brother,
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
, would turn Protestant when marrying Elizabeth Colepeper in 1661. His brother Thomas also conformed to the established religion as he became a captain in the Royal Navy.


Early life


Irish wars

Hamilton's father, Sir George Hamilton, Baronet, served Ormond, the
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 K ...
, during the
Irish Confederate Wars The Irish Confederate Wars, took place from 1641 to 1653. It was the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of civil wars in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, all then ...
(1641–1648) and the
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the Commonwealth of England, initially led by Oliver Cromwell. It forms part of the 1641 to 1652 Irish Confederate Wars, and wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three ...
(1649–1653) and followed him into exile in 1651. Young George lived with his mother in Nenagh, deep in Confederate territory but being Catholic they were not troubled and anyway fighting was halted by a truce in 1643. Their security deteriorated when Rinuccini in 1646 rejected the First Ormond Peace. In May Lady Hamilton with George and his siblings were brought to Dublin for their security.
Owen Roe O'Neill Owen Roe O'Neill ( Irish: ''Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill;'' – 6 November 1649) was a Gaelic Irish soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster. O'Neill left Ireland at a young age and spent most of his life as a mercenary ...
's Confederate Ulster Army took
Roscrea Roscrea () is a market town in County Tipperary, Ireland. In 2022 it had a population of 5,542. Roscrea is one of the oldest towns in Ireland, having developed around the 7th century monastery of Crónán of Roscrea, Saint Crónán of Roscrea, p ...
Castle east of Nenagh on 17 September 1646. In 1648 Ulster troops took Nenagh Castle, but it was retaken that same year by
Murrough O'Brien, 6th Baron Inchiquin Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as ''Murchadh na dTóiteán'' ("Murrough the Burner"), ...
. In October 1650 Hamilton's father was governor of
Nenagh Nenagh ( ; , or simply 'the Fair') is the county town of County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the East Munster Ormond Fair. Nenagh was the county town of the former county of Nort ...
for the Royalist Alliance when the Parliamentarian army under
Henry Ireton Henry Ireton (baptised 3 November 1611; died 26 November 1651) was an English general in the Parliamentarian army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and a son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. He died of disease outside Limerick in November 165 ...
and Daniel Abbot attacked and captured the castle on the way back from their failed siege of Limerick to their winter quarters at
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
.


First exile

In spring 1651, Sir George Hamilton, Baronet, and his family followed Ormond into French exile. They first went to
Caen Caen (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune inland from the northwestern coast of France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Calvados (department), Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inha ...
, where they were accommodated for some time by the Marchioness of Ormond. They then moved to Paris where Charles II and his mother
Henrietta Maria Henrietta Maria of France (French language, French: ''Henriette Marie''; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland from her marriage to K ...
lived in exile at the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
and the Chateau-Neuf de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Young Hamilton, aged about 10, became a
page Page most commonly refers to: * Page (paper), one side of a leaf of paper, as in a book Page, PAGE, pages, or paging may also refer to: Roles * Page (assistance occupation), a professional occupation * Page (servant), traditionally a young m ...
to the King. France was at that time fighting the long
Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) The Franco-Spanish War , May 1635 to November 1659, was fought between Kingdom of France, France and Habsburg Spain, Spain, each supported by various allies at different points. The first phase, beginning in May 1635 and ending with the 1648 Peac ...
. In 1654 France gained Cromwell as an ally against Spain resulting in the
Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660) The Anglo-Spanish War was a conflict between the Commonwealth of England, English The Protectorate, Protectorate and Spain between 1654 and 1660. It was driven by the economic and religious rivalry between the two countries, with each side at ...
, and in consequence Charles II had to leave France. He moved his court first to
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, then in March 1656 to Brussels where on 2 April 1656, Ormond and Rochester signed in Charles's name the
Treaty of Brussels The Treaty of Brussels, also referred to as the Brussels Pact, was the founding treaty of the Western Union (WU) between 1948 and 1954, when it was amended as the Modified Brussels Treaty (MTB) and served as the founding treaty of the Western Eu ...
with Spain. On 22 April Charles moved to
Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...
. In 1657 Hamilton was present during a polite chat under the walls of
Mardyck Mardyck ( Dutch: ''Mardijk'', ) is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is an associated commune with Dunkirk since it joined the latter in January 1980.James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh (c. 1622 – 4 December 1670) was a Scottish peer who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1661 to 1670. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. Livingston was the only son of Sir J ...
, a royalist, who asked to speak to Sir John Reynolds, who held Mardyck for the parliament. Hamilton then fetched the Duke of York as Reynolds desired to make his acquaintance. On 14 June 1658 Charles' brother James, the Duke of York, led the royalists in the Battle of the Dunes and was defeated by Turenne. The King then moved to Antwerp. On 3 September 1658 Cromwell died. On 7 February 1658 the King was allowed back to Brussels.


Restoration

At the Restoration, Hamilton was accepted into the Life Guards that Charles II and the Duke of York established early in 1660 in preparation of their return to London. Hamilton served in the King's troop, which was commanded by Charles Gerard as captain and colonel. Hamilton was an officer rather than a private. After the King's return to London in May 1660, Hamilton attended the court at
Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...
in addition to his military duties. He, like his brothers James and Anthony, and his sister
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...
, were part of to the inner circle around the King.
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...
reports that Hamilton was present at the Queen's Birthday dance on 15 October 1666 at Whitehall. At court Hamilton met Elizabeth Wetenhall and fell in love with her, but she was married. He then courted Frances Stewart, called "La Belle Stuart" or the "fair Stuart", a
maid of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...
of the Queen,
Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza (; 25 November 1638 – 31 December 1705) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland during her marriage to Charles II of England, King Charles II, which la ...
. Gramont warned Hamilton about courting the fair Stuart as the King had set his eyes on her. Eventually, he met and courted Frances Jennings, a maid of honour of
Anne Hyde Anne Hyde (12 March 1637 – 31 March 1671) was the first wife of James, Duke of York, who later became King James II and VII. Anne was the daughter of a member of the English gentry— Edward Hyde (later created Earl of Clarendon)—and met ...
, the Duchess of York. Macaulay describes her as "beautiful Fanny Jennings, the loveliest coquette in the brilliant Whitehall of the Restoration."


Marriage and children

In 1665 Hamilton married Frances Jennings. The King approved of this marriage and granted the couple a pension of £500 per year (about £ in ). His marriage is the sixth of the seven marriages with which end the ''Memoirs of Count Grammont''. George and Frances had six children, but only four (all daughters) seem to be known by name: # Elizabeth (1667–1724), married in 1685 Richard Parsons, 1st Viscount Rosse as his 3rd wife, and was mother of
Richard Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and ...
# Frances (died 1751), married
Henry Dillon, 8th Viscount Dillon Henry Dillon, 8th Viscount Dillon (died 1714) was an Irish soldier and politician. In 1689 he sat in the Patriot Parliament. He fought for the Jacobites during the Williamite War, defending Galway against Ginkel and surrendering it in 1691 a ...
in 1687 # Mary (died 1736), married Nicholas Barnewall, 3rd Viscount Barnewall in 1688 # Henrietta, seems to have been younger than the three listed above Elizabeth, the eldest, was born in England in 1667 and baptised on 21 March at
St Margaret's, Westminster The Church of St Margaret, Westminster Abbey is in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, London, England. It is dedicated to Margaret the Virgin, Margaret of Antioch, and forms part of a single World Heritage Site with the Pal ...
, in an Anglican ceremony. The others were born in France and were brought up as Catholics. The eldest married a Protestant; the younger two married Catholics. All three married Irish viscounts and were therefore known as the "three viscountesses". Lord Beaulieu, who owned the portrait of George Hamilton used in this article, was one of Elizabeth's grandsons. Her descendance through her two sons went extinct in 1764, but her second daughter, called Catharine, married in 1705 James Hussey and was by him mother of Edward Hussey-Montagu, 1st Earl Beaulieu.


Later life


Second Anglo-Dutch War

On 4 March 1665 the
Second Anglo-Dutch War The Second Anglo-Dutch War, began on 4 March 1665, and concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Breda (1667), Treaty of Breda on 31 July 1667. It was one in a series of Anglo-Dutch Wars, naval wars between Kingdom of England, England and the D ...
(1665–1667) broke out. Hamilton joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer and on 3 June 1665 O.S. took part in the naval battle of
Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the List of extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly UK se ...
, an English victory.


Second exile

On 28 September 1667, in an increasingly anti-Catholic political climate, the King felt obliged to dismiss from his Life Guards the Catholics who refused to take the
Oath of Supremacy The Oath of Supremacy required any person taking public or church office in the Kingdom of England, or in its subordinate Kingdom of Ireland, to swear allegiance to the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church. Failure to do so was to be trea ...
, and among them, Hamilton. The king arranged with
Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
that Hamilton would be made the captain-lieutenant of a company of ''gens d'armes'' under Louis's direct command as captain. On 1 February 1668 Hamilton left England for France passing by Dover and Ostend. He seems to have been knighted by the King before his departure as he is called ''Sir'' for the first time on his passport dated 14 January 1668. Hamilton's ''gens d'armes'' were part of Louis's body guard. His wife followed him to France and converted to the Catholic religion. She stayed in Paris. Hamilton with his ''gens d'armes'' probably took part in the first conquest of the Franche-Comté during the
War of Devolution The War of Devolution took place from May 1667 to May 1668. In the course of the war, Kingdom of France, France occupied large parts of the Spanish Netherlands and County of Burgundy, Franche-Comté, both then provinces of the Holy Roman Empire ...
1667/1668. The campaign ended on 19 February 1686 with the capitulation of
Gray Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...
in presence of Louis XIV. Soon France was in peace talks with Spain that would lead to the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in May 1668. In 1668 Hamilton acquired French nationality. In 1671 Hamilton raised an infantry regiment of 1,500 men in Ireland. Some of the officers who served in this ''régiment d'Hamilton'' would earn fame:
Patrick Sarsfield Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan ( 1655 – 21 August 1693) was an Irish army officer. Killed at Battle of Landen, Landen in 1693 while serving in the French Royal Army, he is now best remembered as an Irish patriot and military hero. Born ...
, Justin McCarty, George's younger brothers
Anthony Anthony, also spelled Antony, is a masculine given name derived from the '' Antonii'', a '' gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descenda ...
and
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
, his cousin Gustavus Hamilton, and
Thomas Dongan Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick (1634 – 14 December 1715) was an Irish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New York from 1683 to 1688. He called the first representative legislature in the Province o ...
, who was appointed lieutenant-colonel. In April 1672 France and England declared war on the Dutch Republic; the former starting the
Franco-Dutch War The Franco-Dutch War, 1672 to 1678, was primarily fought by Kingdom of France, France and the Dutch Republic, with both sides backed at different times by a variety of allies. Related conflicts include the 1672 to 1674 Third Anglo-Dutch War and ...
(1672–1678), the latter the
Third Anglo-Dutch War The Third Anglo-Dutch War, began on 27 March 1672, and concluded on 19 February 1674. A naval conflict between the Dutch Republic and England, in alliance with France, it is considered a related conflict of the wider 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch W ...
. Hamilton would pass the rest of his life fighting for France in that war, eventually being killed in action. The first three years he served under Henri, Viscount of Turenne. In the first year of the war, which the Dutch call the ''rampjaar'' (disaster-year), Hamilton's regiment was first employed to garrison
Liège Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...
but joined Louis's main army after the crossing of the Rhine in June. The regiment took part in the siege of Utrecht, which fell on the 20th. After the Dutch had flooded the land to the north, most of the French troops retreated, but Hamilton's regiment stayed behind with the small army of occupation under Marshal Luxembourg, being stationed at
Zutphen Zutphen () is a city and municipality located in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It lies some northeast of Arnhem, on the eastern bank of the river IJssel at the point where it is joined by the Berkel. First mentioned in the 11th centur ...
in Gelderland to the east of Utrecht. In the summer 1673 he joined Turenne's army. In February 1674 England and the Netherlands concluded the
Treaty of Westminster (1674) The Treaty of Westminster of 1674 was the peace treaty that ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War. Signed by the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of England, the treaty provided for the return of the colony of New Netherland (now New York) to England a ...
, which ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War, but the Franco-Dutch war continued. This peace did therefore not affect Hamilton, who served under French command. However, from there on to the
Treaties of Nijmegen The Treaties or Peace of Nijmegen (; ; ) were a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Nijmegen between August 1678 and October 1679. The treaties ended various interconnected wars among France, the Dutch Republic, Spain, Brandenburg, Sw ...
, which ended the Franco-Dutch war, the English Parliament pushed for measures to forbid the King's subjects to fight in French service. On 8 May 1675 the Parliament forced Charles to make a proclamation demanding the immediate return of all his subjects that had gone into French service since the date of the Treaty of Westminster and forbidding all his subjects to enter that service. This made recruiting for Hamilton's regiment difficult. On 16 June 1674 Turenne fought the battle of
Sinsheim Sinsheim (; ) is a town in southwestern Germany, in the Rhine Neckar Area of the state Baden-Württemberg about southeast of Heidelberg and about northwest of Heilbronn in the district Rhein-Neckar. Geography Overview Sinsheim consists o ...
, south of Heidelberg, against the Imperials under
Aeneas de Caprara Count Aeneas Sylvius de Caprara (1631 – February 1701), also known as Enea Silvio or Äneas Sylvius von Caprara, was an Austrian Field Marshal during the Nine Years' War. Biography Born at Bologna to count Niccolò Caprara, he was a descendan ...
. Hamilton commanded three battalions at that occasion, the two of his own regiment and one from the Monmouth regiment. In July Hamilton's regiment took part in the first ravaging of the Palatinate. On 4 October Hamilton fought the Imperial forces under the Duke von Bournonville at
Entzheim Entzheim (; ) is a commune, in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. The Strasbourg Airport is located in the commune. Climate The climate is oceanic (Köppen: ''Cfb''), more extreme than most other French cities ...
and was wounded. In March 1675 Hamilton visited England with his younger brothers Anthony and Richard. George returned to France from England, whereas Anthony and Richard continued to Ireland to recruit as the battles of Sinsheim and Entzheim had left gaps in the ranks. The recruits were picked up by French ships at
Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork (city), Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a populatio ...
in April after a missed appointment at
Dingle Dingle ( or ''Daingean Uí Chúis'', meaning "fort of Ó Cúis") is a town in County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula (known in Irish as ''Corca Dhuibhne''), it sits on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coa ...
in March. Anthony's and Richard's voyage to Ireland caused them to miss Turenne's winter campaign 1674–1675, during which the French marched south and surprised the Germans by attacking them in Upper Alsace. According to
James Balfour Paul Sir James Balfour Paul (16 November 1846 – 15 September 1931) was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland, from 1890 until the end of 1926. Life James Balfour Paul was educated at Royal High School, Edinbur ...
George excelled at Turenne's victory at
Turckheim Turckheim (; Alsatian: Tercka; ) is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It lies west of Colmar, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains. History Archeological finds indicate the area was already ...
on 5 January 1675, but according to Clark he was absent. On 27 July 1675 Hamilton was at his side when Turenne was killed at Sasbach. The French retreated, pursued by the imperial army under
Raimondo Montecuccoli Raimondo Montecuccoli (; 21 February 1609 – 16 October 1680) was an Italian-born professional soldier, military theorist, and diplomat, who served the Habsburg monarchy. Experiencing the Thirty Years' War from scratch as a simple footsoldier, ...
, resulting in rearguard actions known as the
Battle of Altenheim The Battle of Altenheim took place on 1 August 1675 during the 1672-1678 Franco-Dutch War near Altenheim, in modern Baden-Württemberg. It was fought by a French army of 20,000, jointly commanded by the Marquis de Vaubrun and the Comte de Lorge ...
where Hamilton and his Irish excelled. In this battle the French army was commanded by the comte
Guy Aldonce de Durfort de Lorges Guy Aldonce de Durfort, 1st Duke of Lorges, Marshal of France, (1630–1702) fought in the Franco-Dutch War mostly on the Rhine under his uncle Marshal Turenne, but in 1673 he was seconded to the Siege of Maastricht. Back on the Rhine, he fo ...
and the marquis de Vaubrun, who was slain in the action. Hamilton and his unit were part of the rearguard under Louis de Boufflers. After Altenheim Louis XIV called in
Louis, Grand Condé Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (8 September 1621 – 11 December 1686), known as (), was a French military commander. A tactician and strategist, he is regarded as one of France's greatest generals, particularly celebrated for his ...
to take over the command of the Rhine Army. In January 1676 Hamilton went to Ireland to recruit as Altenheim had taken its toll. The recruiting was tolerated by
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
, the
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 K ...
on instruction by the King. In February 1676 Hamilton was promoted maréchal de camp (major-general) for his achievements at Altenheim. On 10 March 1676 (N.S.) François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg replaced the Grand Condé, who was old, sick, and tired.


Comte d'Hamilton

French sources generally call Hamilton not ''chevalier''
night Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of ...
but ''comte'' ountand once even ''marquis'' arquess The
Gazette de France (), originally , was the first weekly magazine published in France. It was founded by Théophraste Renaudot and published its first edition on 30 May 1631. It progressively became the mouthpiece of one royalist faction, the Legitimists. Pascal O ...
of 26 June 1674 mentions ''Comte d'Hamilton'' as one of the French commanders at the Battle of Sinsheim. This might simply reflect the belief held by the French that he was a nobleman in England, Scotland, or Ireland, or shear cautious politeness from their part. The French genealogist
François-Alexandre Aubert de La Chesnaye Des Bois François Alexandre Aubert de La Chenaye-Desbois (17 June 1699 – 29 February 1783)
mentions the Hamiltons as a Scottish noble family that gave rise to a Duc de Châtelleraut and mentions Hamilton's father, George, as Count of Hamilton, Anthony as ''Comte Antoine Hamilton'', but not George Hamilton. Many English sources also call him count. Ó Ciardha (2009) says he was made a count in February 1676, ennobled by Louis XIV, This might simply echo the French use, taking for truth what is maybe a mistake or politeness. To call George Hamilton the father "the baronet" and his son "the count" is a neat way to distinguish them.
Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
(1913) thinks he was made a count soon after he obtained French nationality. Ó Ciardha believes he was made a count in February 1676 after his achievements at Altenheim. No source seems to mention a territorial designation or to state that Hamilton owned land that was erected as ''comté'' as was done in some other cases.


Death and timeline

Luxembourg's attempts to relieve the Siege of Philippsburg resulted in many marches and countermarches. Hamilton was killed on 1 June 1676 while commanding Luxembourg's rear-guard at the
Col de Saverne The Col de Saverne (, Pass of Saverne or Saverne Pass; , ) is a 410-m high natural pass in the north of the Vosges mountains, near Saverne, which permits travel between the départements of Bas-Rhin and Moselle, and therefore between Alsace an ...
(Zebernstieg in Alsatian) where imperial troops under
Charles V, Duke of Lorraine Charles V, Duke of Lorraine and Bar (; ; 3 April 1643 – 18 April 1690) succeeded his uncle Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine as titular Duke of Lorraine and Bar in 1675; both duchies were occupied by France from 1634 to 1661 and 1670 to 1697. Bo ...
pursued the French who were retreating eastwards to
Saverne Saverne (, ; Alsatian language, Alsatian: ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin departments of France, department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a mountain pass, pass ...
in lower Alsace. His younger brother Anthony supposedly succeeded him as comte d'Hamilton, but King Charles and his brother the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
insisted that Thomas Dongan should succeed as colonel buying the regiment from the Hamiltons. Despite Luxembourg's efforts Philippsburg surrendered on the 17 September 1676.


Notes and references


Notes


Citations


Sources

Subject matter monographs: * Ó Ciardha in
Dictionary of Irish Biography The ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'' (DIB) is a biographical dictionary of notable Irish people and people not born in the country who had notable careers in Ireland, including both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. History The ...

* * * – First American edition, based on the 3rd British one. * * * * * * * – 1643 to 1660 * * * * * – 1675 to 1676 * – 1677 to 1678 (for daughter Henrietta) * – England * – Scotland and Ireland * – 1665 to 1706 * * – (for timeline) * * – Issue should be 74 but is written 94 * * – Bra to C (for Butler) * – N to R (for Ormond) * – Ab-Adam to Basing (for Abercorn family tree) * – Dacre to Dysart (for Henry Dillon) * * * – (for English quotes) * * – ABA to BAR (for Avaux) * – GAB to HAZ (for Hamilton) * – Viscounts * * * – 1689 to 1690 * * * * * * * * * * – D to K * – Abercorn to Balmerino * – 1 October 1666 to 30 June 1667 * * * – 1643 to 1681 * * – 1661 to 1678 * * * * – 1643 to 1685 * * * – 1641 to 1643 * – 1643 to 1660 and index * * * *


External links


The lost Settlement of Dunnalong

Portrait of Sir George Hamilton at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG 1468), London. Oil on canvas, unknown painter, c. 1670

Miniature portrait of Frances Jennings, by Samuel Cooper, c. 1665

Print of the engraving of the portrait at the British Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, George 1676 deaths 17th-century Irish people British Life Guards officers French generals French military personnel killed in action French military personnel of the Franco-Dutch War Wild Geese (soldiers) Younger sons of baronets People of the War of Devolution Irish expatriates in France Royal Navy personnel of the Second Anglo-Dutch War