REFN: 4533AN
REFN: P4534
born 1532/35
died April 12, 1604
Scottish nobleman active in Sco ttish and English politics and in the
unsuccessful negotiations for the relea se of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
The third son of James Hamilton, 2nd earl o f Arran, he was given the
abbey of Arbroath in 1551. In politics he was large ly under the influence
of his unscrupulous younger brother Claud Hamilton, af terward (1587)
Baron Paisley (b. September 1543?–d. 1621/22). At first hostil e to Mary
Stuart, they later became her devoted partisans. Claud met Mary on her
escape from Lochleven and escorted her to Hamilton Palace. With others of
the Queen's party they were forfeited by the Parliament and sought their
r evenge on the regent Moray. Although the Hamiltons disavowed all
connection w ith Moray's murderer, James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, he had
been provided w ith horseand weapons by the abbot of Arbroath, and it was
at Hamilton that he sought refuge after the deed. Their uncle, Archbishop
John Hamilton, was han ged at Stirling in 1571 for alleged complicity in
the murder of Mary's husban d, Lord Darnley, and is said to have admitted
that he was a party to the murd er of Moray.
At the pacification of Perth in 1573 the Hamiltons abandoned Mary 's
cause. On the uncertain evidence extracted from the assassin by torture,
the Hamiltons had been credited with a share in the murder of the regent
Len nox in 1571. In 1579 proceedings against them for these two crimes
were resum ed, and when they escaped to England their lands and titles
were seized by th eir enemies. John Hamilton soon dissociated himself from
the policy of his br other Claud, who continued to plot for Spanish
intervention on behalf of Mary until her death. (He later, in 1590, went
mad and was mad at his death.) Wit h other Scottish exiles, John crossed
the border in 1585 and marched on Stirl ing; he was admitted on November 4
and formally reconciled with James VI, wit h whom he was thenceforward on
the friendliest terms. He was created marquess of Hamilton, earl of
Arran, and Lord Aven in 1599.