General Notes

REFN: 4528AN
REFN: P4529
James Hamilton (2nd Earl of Arran and Duke of Châtelherault)
1516 - 1575
Regent of Scotland and soldier. Hamilton was the son of James, the 1st
Earl of Arran (1475 - 1529) and, through his mother, great-grandson of
Kin g James II (1430-60). This gave rise to Hamilton's claim to the throne
of Sco tland. He became Regent on the death of King James V (1512 - 1542)
and gained his French Duchy for negotiating the marriage of the young
Mary, Queen of Sc ots (1542 - 1587) to the Dauphin of France (1549). He
demitted the Regency in favour of Mary of Lorraine (1515-60) in 1554 on
condition that he would get the Crown if the young Mary died childless,
however his claim seemed lost whe n it became clear that the succession
was promised to France. However this pl anned succession did not take
place when Mary's husband, by then King Francis II of France, died.
Hamilton then tried unsuccessfully to arrange a marriage between Mary and
his son, another James (c.1537 - 1609).
Hamilton's sympath ies swayed between support for Queen Mary and the
Protestant nobles who wishe d to see her removed, undoubtedly because he
still hoped to fall heir to the throne. He withdrew to his French estates
in 1565, returned in 1569, was arre sted by Regent Moray (1531-70) and
finally signed the Pacification of Perth ( 1572) in which he acknowledged
the succession of King James VI (1566 - 1625).
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (M)
b. 1515, d. 22 January 1574/75, #10213 4
Pedigree
Last Edited=8 Jun 2003
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran was the son of James Hamilton, 1st
Earl of Arran and Janet Beaton. He was born in 151 5. He married Lady
Margaret Douglas, daughter of James Douglas, 3rd Earl of M orton and
Catherine Stewart, before 23 September 1532.1 He died on 22 January
1574/75.1
He succeeded to the title of 3rd Lord Hamilton [I., 1617] between 26
March 1529 and 21 July 1529.2 He succeeded to the title of 2nd Earl of
Arran [S., 1503] between 26 March 1529 and 21 July 1529.1 He held the
office of Regent of Scotland between 1542 and 1554.1 On 13 March 1542/43
he was decl ared Second Person of Scotland and Heir Presumptive of the
Crown.1 He was inv ested as a Knight, Order of St. Michael [France] in
June 1548.1 He was create d Duc De Châtellérault [France] on 8 February
1548/49.1
Children of James Ha milton, 2nd Earl of Arran and Lady Margaret
Douglas:
Barbara Hamilton+   b. b 1530
James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran   b. bt 1533 - 1538, d. Mar 1609
Hon . Gawain Hamilton   b. bt 1534 - 1542, d. 31 Aug 1547
John Hamilton, 1st Marqu ess of Hamilton+   b. c 1535, d. 6 Apr 1604
Hon. David Hamilton   b. bt 1542 - 1546
Lady Jean Hamilton   b. b 1545, d. Dec 1596
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Pa isley+   b. c Jun 1546, d. b 3 May 1621
Lady Anne Hamilton+   b. b 1548
Citat ions
[S6] 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, Ext inct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint
in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I,
page 221. Hereinaf ter cited as The Complete Peerage.
[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peer age, volume VI, page 256.
James Hamilton (2nd Earl of Arran and Duke of Châtel herault)
1516 - 1575
Regent of Scotland and soldier. Hamilton was the son of James, the 1st
Earl of Arran (1475 - 1529) and, through his mother, great-gra ndson of
King James II (1430-60). This gave rise to Hamilton's claim to the t hrone
of Scotland. His half-brother Sir James Hamilton of Finnart (d.1540)
acted as his guardian, following the death of their father.
Hamilton became Re gent on the death of King James V (1512 - 1542) and
gained his French Duchy f or negotiating the marriage of the young Mary,
Queen of Scots (1542 - 1587) t o the Dauphin of France (1549). He demitted