John (Hamilton) Hamilton First Marquess of Hamilton (abt. 1542 - 1604)

Born about 1542 in Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Lyon) Lyon Marchioness of Hamilton — married after 30 Dec 1577 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 26 Apr 1604 at about age 62 in Hamilton Palace, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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John (Hamilton) Hamilton First Marquess of Hamilton was a prominent member of a Scottish Clan. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

John (Hamilton) Hamilton First Marquess of Hamilton is a member of Clan Hamilton.

John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton, Earl of Arran, and Lord Evan

Family and Early Life

John Hamilton was the son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, Duke of Châtellerault, and Regent of Scotland; and Margaret Douglas, daughter of James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton, and Catherine Stewart, illegitimate daughter of King James IV of Scotland.^[1][2] The Consistorial Act dated 28 November 1547 which provided him to the Abbey at Inchaffray stated that he was twelve years old at that time,^[3] which would suggest he was born about 1535. However, this may have actually been his older brother's birthdate. John was alive in 1542 when he was first named in a charter,^[4] still underage on 12 April 1560, and declared himself to be above the age of 21 in a writ dated 26 April 1564^[4] so it is more likely that he was born around 1542.

He resigned Inchaffray early in 1551 and on 4 September of that same year was provided to the much wealthier abbey of Arbroath.^[5][6] Shortly after becoming commendator of Arbroath, John Hamilton was sent to Paris with his tutor, Patrick Buchanan, a scholar who had previously instructed the illegitimate sons of James V.^[6] He returned to Scotland in 1555 and was present when an order of parliament proposed a marriage between his older brother James, Earl of Arran, and Elizabeth I. James's mental breakdown soon after and temporary imprisonment stemming from a plan to kidnap the queen resulted in the Hamilton family's sudden loss of influence, but by 1563 John had taken his place at court^[7] and quickly became highly regarded by the Scottish queen.^[8]

Lord John received permission in 1564 to spend two years traveling in Italy, and upon his return to Scotland, despite the fact that he was not Catholic, he became (along with the rest of his family) a staunch supporter of Queen Mary.^[6][9] He undertook many efforts to support Mary, and when she escaped Lochleven in May 1568 she fled to one of the Hamilton's castles and then, eventually, to England.^[6] James Stewart, Earl of Moray, was the regent at this time and he called a parliament to ensure that the lands held by the Hamiltons and other supporters of the queen were forfeited.^[10] This greatly offended the Hamiltons, and on 23 January 1570 James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh assassinated Moray at Linlithgow before fleeing to the continent.^[6] The next regent was Matthew Stewart, 13th Earl of Lennox, and the following year he was fatally shot in the back while at Stirling Castle, at an event at which Lord John happened to also be present.^[6]

When Lord John's father died in 1575, he not only became head of the family (due to his brother's insanity),^[6] but the nearest prospective heir to the Scottish throne after James VI.^[11] James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, (who was Moray's half brother) accused Lord John and his brother Claud of being implicated in the murders of Moray and Lennox, and an order was issued for their arrest and the seizure of the remainder of their lands.^[6] Lord John fled, disguised as a seaman,^[12] and sought refuge in France with James Beaton, the exiled archbishop of Glasgow who had also supported Queen Mary.^[6]

Exile

While Lord John cooled his heels in France, Morton's army besieged and captured Hamilton Palace and Draffen Castle (another of the Hamilton family estates), and James VI gave the commendatorship of Arbroath Abbey to Esme Stewart (soon to become the 1st Duke of Lennox).^[6] Captain James Stewart, son of Andrew, 2nd Lord Ochiltree, was given the legal guardianship of Lord John's brother, who was forced to resign his title of earl of Arran. James VI then designated James Stewart as the new earl of Arran.^[6] Fortunately for Lord John, James Stewart immediately began consolidating power and making himself so unpopular that by 1585 the Scottish nobility had ousted him, and at Elizabeth I's urging John (along with other exiled Scottish lords) returned and on 4 November 1585 swore allegiance to James VI, thereby receiving the king's forgiveness.^[9]

Later Career and Elevation to Peerage

On 10 December 1585, an act of parliament "restored the family of Hamilton to its former dignities, honours, and estate; taking away the forfeiture of the friends and vassals of that family; and receiving into favour many of the turbulent nobility and gentry who had been lately in arms against the king."^[13] On 1 November 1586 by order under the privy seal, John Lord Hamilton "the king's cousin and councillor," was made captain of Dumbarton Castle for life.^[13] He was appointed justiciary and lord lieutenant of the western marches of Scotland on 4 February 1586/7.^[6][13] At the coronation of Anne of Denmark as James VI's queen, John Hamilton carried the sword of state and assisted in placing the crown on Anne's head. He stood as godfather at the baptism of the king's first daughter, Elizabeth, at Holyrood on 13 October 1596.^[6]

In December 1597 the king asked that Lord John give up his control over Dumbarton Castle, assuring him that he remained high in royal favor.^[6] Sixteen months later, on 15 April 1599, in an extravagant ceremony at Holyrood he was elevated to the peerage and given the titles of Marquess of Hamilton, Earl of Arran (although his elder brother was still living), and Lord Evan.^[14]

Marriage and Children

Lord John Hamilton married Margaret Lyon, the widow of Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis,^[15] sometime before 10 February 1578, by a contract dated 30 December 1577 at Maybole.^[16][17] She was the daughter of John Lyon, 7th Lord Glamis, and his wife Janet Keith, daughter of Robert Keith, Master of Marischal.^[18] Margaret's first husband was a cousin of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, and her (second) marriage to Lord John may have been an attempt to reverse the ill feelings that existed between the Douglases and the Hamiltons.^[6] There were three children from this marriage:

• Edward Hamilton, died young^[19]
• James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton, Lord Evan, Earl of Cambridge, Lord Innerdale; married after 30 January 1603 Anna Cunningham;^[20][21] died 2 March 1625^[21]
• Margaret Hamilton, married John Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell^[18][19]

Hamilton also had two illegitimate children:

• Jean Hamilton; married (1) after 29 December 1585 Sir Humphrey Colquhoun of Luss^[22][23][24] married (2) before 10 December 1592 Sir John Campbell of Ardkinglass^[23][24]
• Sir John Hamilton of Letterick, 1st Lord Bargany; married Jean Campbell;^[25][26] died after 1637^[25][27]

Death

John Hamilton, 1st Marquess Hamilton, became ill in March 1604. He wrote his will on 31 March of that year,^[6] and then sent a message to the king "recommending his dear and only son to His Majesty's kind patronage and care, now....when by appearance the lord in mercy is calling upon me."^[13] He died early in April 1604 at Hamilton Palace,^[28] and was buried in the family vault in the Hamilton parish church.^[6][18] Margaret, his widow, outlived him by nearly 22 years, dying at Evandaill in 1626.^[18]

Research Notes

John Hamilton's Natural Daughter

Richardson presumably is citing James Balfour Paul, who mistakenly identified John Hamilton's illegitimate daughter as 'Margaret.' Margaret is his legitimate daughter with his wife, Margaret Lyon, and his illegitimate daughter's name was Jean.^[23][24]

DNA

For a discussion of DNA information regarding this family please go here.

Sources

1. ↑ Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingam (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), vol. 3, pp. 324-325 HOUSTON 16. James Hamilton.
2. ↑ Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: the author, 2011), vol. 2, pp. 403-405, HOUSTON 13. James Hamilton.
3. ↑ Maziere Brady, i., pp. 186-187, cited in Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 370.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Reg. of Deeds, vi(2). 6, cited in Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 371.
5. ↑ Reg. of Deeds, i. 166 cited in Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 371.
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online. Entry for Hamilton, John, first marquess of Hamilton (1539/40-1604), published 23 Sep 2004, available here by subscription.
7. ↑ Cal. State Papers, For Ser. 1563, #558, cited in Dictionary of National Biography. Entry for Hamilton, John (1532-1604)'.'
8. ↑ Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. 1563-4, #181, cited in Dictionary of National Biography. Entry for Hamilton, John (1532-1604)'.'
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 371.
10. ↑ Acta Parl. Scot. iii. 45-48, cited in Dictionary of National Biography. Entry for Hamilton, John (1532-1604)'.'
11. ↑ Dictionary of National Biography. Entry for Hamilton, John (1532-1604).
12. ↑ Anderson, John. Historical and Genealogical Memoirs of the House of Hamilton. Edinburgh: by the author (1825), p. 125.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3} Miscellany of the Maitland Club. The Hamilton Papers. Glasgow: W. Eadie & Co. (1847), vol. 4, pp. 138-140.
14. ↑ Nisbet, Alexander. Heraldry, Speculative and Practical. Edinburgh: Wm. Blackwood (1816), vol. 2, pp. 162-164.
15. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1905), vol. 2, pp. 473-374.
16. ↑ Historic MSS Commission. Manuscripts of the Duke of Hamilton. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode (1887), pp. 54-55, no. 113. Marriage contract between John Hamilton and Margaret Lyon, Countess of Cassillis.
17. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 372.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3} Richardson. Royal Ancestry, vol. 3, pp. 326-327 HOUSTON 17. John Hamilton.
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 373.
20. ↑ Historic MSS Commission. Manuscripts of the Duke of Hamilton. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode (1887), p. 115, no. 55. Marriage contract: James, Lord Hamilton and Ann Cunningham.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1907), vol. 4, p. 375.
22. ↑ Historic MSS Commission. Manuscripts of the Duke of Hamilton. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode (1887), p. 55. Marriage contract: Jean Hamilton and Sir Umphra Colquhoun of Luss.
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1 23.2} Fraser, Sir William. The Chiefs of Colquhoun and their Country. Edinburgh: by the author (1869) pp. 145-147.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1 24.2} MacGregor, Gordon. The Red Book of Scotland. Scotland: by the author (rv. 2020), p. 113.
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1} Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol.2, p.27.
26. ↑ MacGregor, Gordon. The Red Book of Scotland. Scotland: by the author (2016), rv. 2020, vol. 2, p. 803.
27. ↑ Richardson. Royal Ancestry, vol. 3, p. 327 HOUSTON 18. John Hamilton.
28. ↑ Anderson, John. Historical and Genealogical Memoirs of the House of Hamilton. Edinburgh: by the author (1825), p. 130.

See Also:

• Cokayne, George Edward. The Complete Peerage. London: George Bell and Sons (1892), vol. 4, pp. 140-141. (entry for John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton)

• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 08 June 2020), memorial page for John Hamilton (1535–26 Apr 1604), Find A Grave: Memorial #196081116, citing Bent Cemetery, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland; Maintained by Todd Whitesides (contributor 47553735).

• Macdonald, William Rae. Scottish Armorial Seals. Edinburgh: W. Green (1904), p. 151.

• Metcalfe, W.M. Charters and Documents Relating to the Burgh of Paisley. Paisley: A. Gardner (1902), pp. 66-86. (John Lord Hamilton, commendator of Arbroath, styled 'kinsman' by King James VI in charter dated 1587)

• Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1905), vol. 2, pp. 471-475. (Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassillis)

• Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1911), vol. 8, pp. 281-288. (John Lyon, Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne)

• Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011. See also WikiTree's source page for Magna Carta Ancestry.

• Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013. See also WikiTree's source page for Royal Ancestry

• Wikipedia: John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile is in a trail badged by the Magna Carta Project.

This profile was reviewed and approved for the Magna Carta Project 10 Oct 2020 by Thiessen-117 (checked Richardson/proofread only).

John Hamilton appears in Magna Carta Ancestry in badged Richardson-documented trails from Gateway Ancestor Patrick Houston to Magna Carta Surety Barons Gilbert de Clare, Richard de Clare and Robert de Vere. The trail is set out in the Magna Carta Trails section of the Gateway's profile.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".

Descents from King Robert III

Descents of the 1st Marquess of Hamilton from King Robert III

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