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{{Short description|Scottish nobility}}
{{for|the current duke|Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton}}
{{Redirect|Dukes of Hamilton|the ice hockey team|Dukes of Hamilton (ice hockey)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox nobility title
| name              = Dukedom of Hamilton<br />''<small>held with</small>''<br />Dukedom of Brandon 
| image             = [[File:Coat of Arms of the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon.svg|200px]] 
| image_size        =  
| alt               =  
| caption           = ''Quarterly, first and fourth grandquarters counterquartered, first and fourth gules, three cinquefoils ermine (for Hamilton); second and third argent, a lymphad with sails furled proper, flagged gules (for Arran); second and third grandquarters argent, a heart gules imperially crowned proper, on a chief azure three stars of the field (for Douglas).''
| creation_date     = 12 April 1643 
| creation          =  
| monarch           = [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] 
| peerage           = [[Peerage of Scotland]] 
| baronetage        =  
| first_holder      = [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton]] 
| last_holder       =  
| present_holder    = [[Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton|Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke]] 
| heir_apparent     = Douglas Charles Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale 
| heir_presumptive  =  
| remainder_to      = [[heirs male]] [[heirs of the body|of the body]] of the [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|grantee]]; the grantee's [[William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton|brother]]; heirs male of the body of the grantee's brother; the grantee's ''[[Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton|eldest daughter]]'', followed by her heirs male; nearest heirs whatsoever of the grantee<ref name="books.google.com">Sinclair, Alexander: [https://books.google.com/books?id=I7-7AAAAIAAJ&dq=special+remainder+Duke+of+Hamilton+Duke's+daughter+heirs+male&pg=PA32 Dissertation upon "heirs male,": when used as a clause of remainder in grants of Scotch peerages, with some incidental discussions], William Blackwood and sons, 1837.</ref> 
| subsidiary_titles = Marquess of Douglas<br />Marquess of Clydesdale<br />Earl of Angus<br />Earl of Lanark<br />Earl of Arran and Cambridge<br />Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest<br />Lord Machanshire and Polmont<br />Lord Aven and Innerdale<br />Baron Dutton 
| status            = Extant 
| extinction_date   =  
| family_seat       = [[Lennoxlove House]] 
| former_seat       = [[Hamilton Palace]]<br />[[Brodick Castle]]<br />[[Dungavel House]]<br />[[Kinneil House]]<br />[[Ashton Hall]]<br />[[Ferne House]]<br />[[Cadzow Castle]] 
| motto             =  
| footnotes         =  
}}

'''Duke of Hamilton''' is a title in the [[Peerage of Scotland]], created in April 1643. It is the senior [[duke]]dom in that peerage (except for the [[Duke of Rothesay|Dukedom of Rothesay]] held by the sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Scotland, as well as being head of the [[Clan Hamilton|House of Hamilton]]. The title, the town of [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]] in [[Lanarkshire]], and many places around the world are named after members of the [[Clan Hamilton|Hamilton family]]. The ducal family's surname, originally "[[Hamilton (surname and title)|Hamilton]]", is now "[[Douglas-Hamilton]]". Since 1711, the dukedom has been held together with the Dukedom of Brandon in the [[Peerage of Great Britain]], and the dukes since that time have been styled '''Duke of Hamilton and Brandon''', along with several other subsidiary titles.

==Overview==
The titles held by the current duke of Hamilton and Brandon are:

===Peerage of Scotland===
* 16th Duke of Hamilton (created 1643)
* 13th Marquess of Douglas (created 1633)
* 16th Marquess of Clydesdale (created 1643)
* 23rd Earl of Angus (created 1389)
* 13th Earl of Angus (created 1633)
* 15th Earl of Lanark (created 1639)
* 16th Earl of Arran and Cambridge (created 1643)
* 13th Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest (created 1633)
* 15th Lord Machanshyre and Polmont (created 1639)
* 16th Lord Aven and Innerdale (created 1643)

===Peerage of Great Britain===
* 13th Duke of Brandon, in the County of Suffolk (created 1711)
* 13th Baron Dutton, in the County of Chester (created 1711)

===Other offices and duties===
[[File:The Queen at the Scottish Parliament.jpg|thumb|[[Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton]], acting as Hereditary Bearer of the [[Crown of Scotland]], holding the crown at the [[Scottish Parliament]] before [[Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Presiding Officer]] [[Tricia Marwick]] in July 2011]]
The duke of Hamilton and Brandon is the hereditary keeper of the [[Palace of Holyroodhouse]], the official royal residence in Scotland, where he maintains large private quarters. He is also, as Lord Abernethy and in this respect successor to the Gaelic [[earls of Fife]], the hereditary bearer of the [[Crown of Scotland]], a role performed by the 15th duke at the inauguration of the [[Scottish Parliament]] in 1999<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Toney |author-link=Tony Gallagher (editor) |date=6 June 2010 |title=Obituaries – The Duke of Hamilton |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/royalty-obituaries/7807070/The-Duke-of-Hamilton.html |access-date=2013-07-23 |quote=The 15th Duke of Hamilton and 12th Duke of Brandon [...] was uncomfortable in his role as Premier Peer of Scotland and hereditary Keeper of Holyroodhouse Palace, the Queen's official residence in Scotland. [...] As Lord Abernethy he was hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland [...] In 1999, at the inauguration of the Scottish Parliament, he cut a striking figure while performing the role before the Queen.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Scots peerage : Founded on Wood's ed. Of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom |url=https://archive.org/stream/scotspeeragefoun01pauluoft#page/184/mode/2up}}</ref><ref>Maxwell, Vol II, pp 2–7, p 17</ref> and the 16th duke at the State Opening of Parliament, 30 June 2011.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 June 2010 |title=Scottish Parliament |work=BBC News |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_9523000/9523610.stm |access-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> As Hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland, the 16th Duke also placed the crown upon the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during a service of remembrance in [[St Giles' Cathedral]] on 12 September 2022.<ref name="BBC NEWS">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-62866826?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=631f3c7d9ec49f77eefbdf23%26Crown%20of%20Scotland%20placed%20on%20Queen%27s%20coffin%262022-09-12T14%3A26%3A53.876Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:e22df14d-414e-4747-b8ac-6c4e0a8e1f13&pinned_post_asset_id=631f3c7d9ec49f77eefbdf23&pinned_post_type=share "Crown of Scotland placed on Queen's coffin"]. ''[[BBC News]]''. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.</ref> Traditionally, the duke of Hamilton enjoys the exclusive right to remove the [[Scottish Crown Jewels]] from the City of [[Edinburgh]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} He also regularly attends sittings in the [[Court of Lord Lyon]] as a hereditary [[assessor (law)|assessor]], sitting on the bench beside [[Lord Lyon]].

===Courtesy titles===
The [[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|courtesy titles]] used by [[heirs apparent]] are "Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale" (the eldest son of the duke) and "Earl of Angus" (the eldest son of a marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale). No duke has had a great-grandson in direct line to the titles, but it is likely that the latter would be styled "Lord Abernethy" (the Lordship of Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest being the most senior available title).

Before the dukes succeeded to the Marquessate of Douglas and its subsidiary titles, the heirs apparent were styled initially "[[Earl of Arran (Scotland)|Earl of Arran]]" (which had previously been used as a courtesy title by the marquesses of Hamilton) and later "Marquess of Clydesdale" (the former style then being adopted for a grandson in direct line). The heir apparent to the Earldom of Lanark (before that title merged with the dukedom) was styled "Lord Polmont".

===Multiple dukedoms===
The duke of Hamilton and Brandon is one of only five British peers to hold more than one dukedom, the others being:
* the [[William, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales]] (who is [[Duke of Cornwall]], [[Duke of Rothesay]], and [[Duke of Cambridge]]);
* the [[Duke of Buccleuch]] and [[Duke of Queensberry|Queensberry]];
* the [[Duke of Argyll]] (who holds two Dukedoms of Argyll); and
* the [[Duke of Richmond]], [[Duke of Lennox|Lennox]] and [[Duke of Gordon|Gordon]]

Historically, several other peers have held multiple dukedoms, including the [[Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle|Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle-under-Lyne]], the [[John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll|Duke of Argyll and Greenwich]], the [[James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth|Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch]] and the two [[Duke of Queensberry|Dukes of Queensberry and Dover]] and some other mainly royal dukes.

[[Image:Lennoxlove House.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Lennoxlove House]], a current seat of the dukes of Hamilton]]

==House of Hamilton==

===Lairds of Cadzow===

Gilbert de Hameldun is recorded as witnessing a charter confirming the gift of the church at Cragyn to the [[Paisley Abbey|Abbey of Paisley]] in 1271. His ancestry is uncertain but he may have been the son of William de Hamilton (third son of [[Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester]]) and Mary of Strathearn. Gilbert de Hameldun married Isabella Randolph, daughter of [[Thomas Randolph of Strathdon]], [[Chamberlain of Scotland]]. His heir was [[Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow|Walter fitz Gilbert]]. He was governor of [[Bothwell Castle]] for the English Crown during the [[First War of Scottish Independence]]. Following the [[Battle of Bannockburn]] in 1314, he gave refuge to the [[Earl of Hertford]]<!-- Can this be correct? The last Earl of (Gloucester and) Hertford seems to have been killed at Bannockburn. --> and other escapees, only to deliver them and Bothwell up to [[Edward Bruce]]. He then became a Bruce partisan. Sometime between 1315 and 1329, [[Robert the Bruce]] knighted him and granted him lands in [[Renfrewshire]] and the [[Lothian]]s and Cadzow (present day [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]] in [[Lanarkshire]]), including [[Cadzow Castle]]. The lands had previously belonged to [[John III Comyn|John Comyn]], who was murdered by Robert the Bruce.

[[Image:Arms of Hamilton.svg|thumb|150px|Undifferenced arms of the chief of Hamilton until 1503]]
The 1st laird of Cadzow was succeeded as the 2nd laird by his son [[David fitz Walter of Cadzow|Sir David fitz Walter]]. He was a supporter of [[David II of Scotland|King David II]] and fought at the [[Battle of Neville's Cross]] (Battle of Durham) where he was captured along with the King. His son [[David Hamilton of Cadzow|David Hamilton]], the 3rd laird, was the first to establish Hamilton as the family name. David Hamilton's son [[John Hamilton of Cadzow|Sir John Hamilton]] became the 4th laird and was, in turn, succeeded as the 5th laird by his son [[James Hamilton of Cadzow|James Hamilton]].

===Lords Hamilton and Earls of Arran===

The 5th laird was succeeded as 6th laird by his son, [[James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton|Sir James Hamilton]], who was created a [[Lord of Parliament]] as '''Lord Hamilton''' on 3 July 1445.<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |pages=349–350 }}</ref> In early 1474, he married [[Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran|Princess Mary, Countess of Arran]], daughter of [[James II of Scotland|King James II]] and widow of [[Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran]]. He was succeeded by his only legitimate son, [[James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran|James, 2nd Lord Hamilton]]. In 1490, then aged 15, he married the 13-year-old Elizabeth, Lady Hay, daughter of [[Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home]] and widow of Sir Thomas Hay, Master of Yester, son and heir of [[John Hay, 1st Lord Hay of Yester]]. However, it was later discovered that Sir Thomas Hay was still alive and the marriage was annulled. The 2nd Lord married secondly Janet, Lady Livingstone, daughter of Sir David Beaton of Creich and widow of Sir Robert Livingstone of Easter Wemyss and Drumry. He became a [[Privy Council of Scotland|Privy Counsellor]] to [[King James IV]], and helped to arrange his marriage to [[Margaret Tudor|Margaret]], daughter of [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]] of [[England]]. As a reward, he was created '''Earl of Arran''' on 8 August 1503.<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=355 }}</ref> He was succeeded by his elder son from his second marriage, [[James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault|James, 2nd Earl of Arran]]. He was Regent of Scotland between 1542 and 1554, and guardian of the young [[Mary, Queen of Scots]]. He was created [[Duc de Châtellerault]] in the [[Peerage of France]] in 1548 for his part in arranging the marriage of Queen Mary to [[Francis II of France|Francis, Dauphin of France]]. This French Dukedom was forfeited when he switched allegiances in 1559. [[Emperor Napoleon III]] "confirmed" this title for the [[William Hamilton Douglas, 12th Duke of Hamilton|12th Duke of Hamilton]] in the 19th century, but although the 12th Duke was heir male of the 2nd Earl, the legal effect of this "confirmation" is doubtful.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/scotfr.htm |title=Scots Members of the French Nobility |author=Velde, François |date=22 April 2010 |access-date=5 March 2011}}</ref>
[[Image:Hamiltonarms.gif|thumb|200px|The undifferenced arms of the Chief of the Hamiltons from 1503 onwards|left]]
[[File:Duke of Hamilton Coat of Arms.jpg|thumb|left|Coat of arms on a [[Derby Porcelain]] dinner service commissioned by the 8th Duke of Hamilton, circa 1780–90]]

The 2nd Earl was succeeded by his eldest son, [[James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran|James, 3rd Earl of Arran]], who had been proposed as a husband to Queen [[Elizabeth I of England]] in 1561. In 1562 he was declared insane, and in 1581 he resigned the Earldom to [[James Stuart, Earl of Arran|James Stewart of Bothwellhaugh]]. However, in 1586 his resignation was ruled by the [[Court of Session]] to be the act of a madman and his honours were restored.

===Marquesses and Dukes of Hamilton===

The 3rd Earl's younger brother [[John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton|John Hamilton]] (who was styled Lord Hamilton as is traditional for the younger sons of Earls<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/courtesy-titles|title=Courtesy Titles}}</ref>) was appointed to administer his brother's estates. He was created '''Marquess of Hamilton''', '''Earl of Arran''' and '''Lord Aven''' on 17 April 1599.<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=372 }}</ref> His son, [[James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton|James, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton]] (who had been created '''Lord Aberbrothwick''' (or '''Arbroath''') on 5 May 1608,<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=373 }}</ref> before he succeeded) moved to England with [[James I of England|King James VI]], and invested into the [[Somers Isles Company]], an offshoot of the [[London Company|Virginia Company]], buying the shares of [[Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford]]. The Parish of [[Hamilton Parish, Bermuda|Hamilton]] in the Somers Isles (now [[Bermuda]]) is named for him. Upon the death of his uncle in 1609 he succeeded as 4th Earl of Arran (of the 1503 creation) and 5th Lord Hamilton. He was also created '''Earl of Cambridge''' and '''Baron Innerdale''' in the [[Peerage of England]] on 16 June 1619.

His son, [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|James, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton]], was created '''Duke of Hamilton''', '''Marquess of Clydesdale''', '''Earl of Arran and Cambridge''' and '''Lord Aven and Innerdale''' on 12 April 1643,<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=377 }}</ref> with a special remainder allowing succession through the female line should his and his brother's heirs male fail. His son, Charles, Earl of Arran, died young and the 1st Duke's titles passed to his younger brother, [[William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton|William, 2nd Duke of Hamilton]], who had already been created '''Earl of Lanark''' and '''Lord Machanshire and Polmont''' on 31 March 1639. A surrender and regrant in 1650 allowed these also to be inherited by the 1st Duke's elder daughter. Upon his death in 1651, with no further heirs in the immediate male line, the Dukedom (and the titles created with it), as well as the Earldom of Lanark (and the title created with it), passed to that daughter, [[Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton|Anne, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton]]. The 1503 Earldom of Arran and the Lordship of Hamilton became dormant,<ref>The heir male was [[James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn]], grandson of the third son of the 2nd Earl of Arran. Neither he nor his successors, the Earls, Marquesses and Dukes of Abercorn, have claimed either title.</ref> and all the other titles (the Marquessate of Hamilton, the 1599 Earldom of Arran and the Lordships of Hamilton, Aven and Aberbrothwick in the Peerage of Scotland, and the Earldom of Cambridge and the Barony of Innerdale in the Peerage of England) became extinct.

In 1656, the 3rd Duchess married [[William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton|William Douglas, 1st Earl of Selkirk]], third son of [[William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas]]. He had been created '''Earl of Selkirk''' and '''Lord Daer and Shortcleuch''' on 4 August 1646.<ref name="Balfour Paul 1907 381">{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=381 }}</ref> He changed his surname to "Hamilton", and on 20 September 1660 was created '''Duke of Hamilton''', '''Marquess of Clydesdale''', '''Earl of Arran, Lanark and Selkirk''' and '''Lord Aven, Machanshire, Polmont and Daer''' [[life peerage|for life]].<ref name="Balfour Paul 1907 381"/> In 1688, he resigned the Earldom of Selkirk and the Lordship of Daer and Shortcleuch, and those titles were regranted to his second son, with a special remainder designed to prevent them becoming merged with the Dukedom. (See [[Earl of Selkirk]] for the subsequent history of those titles, which were eventually inherited by the 12th Duke of Hamilton, becoming separated again from the Dukedom on the death of the 13th Duke in 1940).

On 9 July 1698, the 3rd Duchess resigned all her titles in favour of her eldest son, [[James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton|James, Earl of Arran]], who thereby succeeded as 4th Duke in his mother's lifetime (his father had died in 1694). During the lead-up to the [[Acts of Union 1707]], the 4th Duke was the leader of the anti-union party. He was created '''Duke of Brandon''', in the [[Suffolk|County of Suffolk]], and '''Baron Dutton''', in the [[Cheshire|County of Chester]], in the [[Peerage of Great Britain]] on 10 September 1711,<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft |volume=IV |year=1907 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=384 }}</ref> but was wrongfully refused a summons to the [[Parliament of Great Britain]] under that title (although he continued to sit as a [[List of Scottish representative peers|Scottish representative peer]]). He was killed in [[Hamilton–Mohun duel|a celebrated duel]] with [[Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun]] (who also died) in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] in London on 15 November 1712.

[[Image:Hamiltonpalacemorris edited.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Hamilton Palace]], the former family seat in [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]], circa 1880.]]
The 4th Duke's son [[James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton|James, 5th Duke of Hamilton]] was succeeded by his son [[James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton|James, 6th Duke of Hamilton]], and he by his son [[James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton|James, 7th Duke of Hamilton]]. In 1761, the 7th Duke's second cousin twice removed, [[Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas]], died without an heir. As the Duke of Hamilton, though still using the surname "Hamilton", was patrilineally a "Douglas" (through the 3rd Duchess's husband), the 7th Duke became heir male of the [[House of Douglas]] and inherited the Duke of Douglas's subsidiary titles (although not the Dukedom), succeeding as 4th Marquess of Douglas, 14th and 4th Earl of Angus and 4th Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest. He died without issue and was succeeded by his brother [[Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton|Douglas, 8th Duke of Hamilton]]. He left no sons and the title passed back to his uncle, the 6th Duke's brother, [[Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton|Archibald, 9th Duke of Hamilton]]. He was succeeded by his son [[Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton|Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton]], and then by his son [[William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton|William, 11th Duke of Hamilton]]. The 11th Duke's son [[William Hamilton Douglas, 12th Duke of Hamilton|William, 12th Duke of Hamilton]] (who changed his surname to "Hamilton Douglas"), died without a male heir, and the Dukedom passed to his fourth cousin [[Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton|Alfred, 13th Duke of Hamilton]],{{ sfn | Hesilrige | 1921 | page=435 }} who was descended from the 4th Duke of Hamilton and whose line of the family had adopted the surname "Douglas-Hamilton". His son was [[Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton|Douglas, 14th Duke of Hamilton]], who was succeeded by his son [[Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton|Angus, 15th Duke of Hamilton]]. He died in 2010, and was succeeded by his son, the current Duke, [[Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton|Alexander, 16th Duke of Hamilton]].

=== Succession to the Dukedom of Hamilton ===

The letters patent that created the Dukedom of Hamilton contained a special remainder. It stipulated that the Dukedom should descend to:

# [[heirs male]] [[heirs of the body|of the body]] of the [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|grantee]], failing which to
# the grantee's [[William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton|brother]] and heirs male of the body of the grantee's brother, failing which to
# the grantee's [[Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton|eldest daughter]] and heirs male of her body, failing which to
# nearest heirs whatsoever of the grantee.<ref name="books.google.com"/>

As the first Duke and his brother (the second Duke) both died without surviving sons, the succession has, since 1651, been governed by the third rule given, with the dukedom going to the grantee's daughter (the third Duchess) and her heirs male.

==House of Douglas==

George Douglas, an illegitimate son of [[William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas]], was created '''Earl of Angus''' on 9 April 1389.<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul |volume=I |year=1905 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=173 }}</ref>

His descendant, [[William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas|William, 11th Earl of Angus]], was created '''Marquess of Douglas''', '''Earl of Angus''' and '''Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest''' on 14 June 1633.<ref>{{Citation |last=Balfour Paul |first=Sir James |author-link=James Balfour Paul |title=The Scots Peerage |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun01paul |volume=I |year=1905 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |pages=203–204 }}</ref>

His great-grandson, [[Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas|Archibald, 3rd Marquess of Douglas]], was created '''Duke of Douglas''', '''Marquess of Angus and Abernethy''', '''Viscount of Jedburgh Forest''' and '''Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun and Robertoun''' on 10 April 1703.

He died, married but childless, in 1761, at which point the Dukedom of Douglas (and the titles created with it) became extinct, but the Marquessate of Douglas, both Earldoms of Angus and the Lordship of Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest passed to his second cousin twice removed and heir male, [[James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton]].

==Arms==
{{Infobox COA wide
|image  = [[File:Coat of Arms of the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon.svg|200px]]
|escutcheon =  Quarterly: 1st and 4th grandquarters: quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Cinquefoils Ermine (Hamilton); 2nd and 3rd, Argent a Lymphad with the sails furled proper flagged Gules (Arran); 2nd and 3rd grandquarters: Argent a Heart Gules imperially crowned Or on a Chief Azure three Mullets of the first (Douglas)
|crest = 1st, on a Ducal Coronet an Oak Tree rutted and penetrated transversely in the main stem by a Frame Saw proper the frame Or (Hamilton); 2nd, on a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Salamander in flames proper (Douglas)
|supporters = On either side an Antelope Argent armed unguled ducally gorged and chained Or
|motto = Over 1st crest: Through; Over 2nd crest: Jamais Arriere (Never Behind)
}}

[[File:Bookplate-Hamilton Duke of Brandon.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Bookplate showing an early coat of arms for the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon|[[Bookplate]] showing an early [[coat of arms]] for the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon]]
The [[coat of arms|arms]] of the current Duke of Hamilton and Brandon are: ''quarterly: 1st and 4th grand quarters: quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Cinquefoils Ermine (for Hamilton); 2nd and 3rd, Argent a Lymphad with the sails furled proper flagged Gules (for Arran); 2nd and 3rd grand quarters: Argent a Heart Gules imperially crowned Or on a Chief Azure three Mullets of the first (for Douglas)''.

The achievement has two [[Crest (heraldry)|crests]], namely: ''1st, on a Ducal Coronet an Oak Tree rutted and penetrated transversely in the main stem by a Frame Saw proper the frame Or (for Hamilton); 2nd, on a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Salamander in flames proper (for Douglas)''. The [[Supporters (heraldry)|supporters]] are: ''on either side an Antelope Argent armed unguled ducally gorged and chained Or''. Each crest has a [[Scottish heraldry|motto]], namely "''Through''" (over the 1st crest) and "''Jamais Arriere''" ("''Never Behind''") (over the 2nd crest).

==List of titleholders==

===Lairds of Cadzow (c. 1315)===
* [[Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow|Sir Walter fitz Gilbert]], 1st of Cadzow (c. 1250– bef. 1336)
* [[David fitz Walter of Cadzow|Sir David fitz Walter]], 2nd of Cadzow (c. 1310–1374/1378)
* [[David Hamilton of Cadzow|Sir David Hamilton]], 3rd of Cadzow (c. 1333–c. 1392)
* [[John Hamilton of Cadzow|Sir John Hamilton]], 4th of Cadzow (died bef. 1410)
* [[James Hamilton of Cadzow|Sir James Hamilton]], 5th of Cadzow (died bef. 1441)
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton|Sir James Hamilton]], 6th of Cadzow (died 1479) (created Lord Hamilton in 1445)

===Lords Hamilton (1445)===
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton]] (died 1479)
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran|James Hamilton, 2nd Lord Hamilton]] (c.1475–1529) (created Earl of Arran in 1503)

===Earls of Arran, second Creation (1503)===
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran]] (c. 1475–1529)
* [[James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault|James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran]] (1515–1575) (also [[Duke of Châtellerault]] in the [[French nobility]] from 1548 until 1559)
* [[James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran]] (1533/1538–1609) (under [[attainder]] 1579–1585)
* [[James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 4th Earl of Arran]] (1589–1625) (had already succeeded as 2nd Marquess of Hamilton)

===Marquesses of Hamilton (1599)===
* [[John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton]] (c. 1535–1604) (created Marquess of Hamilton in the lifetime of his elder brother, the 3rd Earl of Arran)
* [[James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton, 1st Earl of Cambridge]] (1589–1625) (succeeded as 4th Earl of Arran in 1609)
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Cambridge]] (1606–1649) (created Duke of Hamilton in 1643)
** Charles Hamilton, Earl of Arran (1634–1640) (eldest son of the 3rd Marquess, predeceased his father in childhood)

===Dukes of Hamilton (1643)===
* [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Cambridge]] (1606–1649)
** Charles Hamilton, Earl of Arran (died 1640)
* [[William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton|William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Cambridge]] (1616–1651) (created Earl of Lanark in 1639)
** James Hamilton, Lord Polmont (died 1648)
* [[Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton]] (c. 1631–1716) (resigned the Dukedom in her son's favour in 1698)
:m. [[William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton|William Douglas ''later'' Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk]] (1635–1694) (created Duke of Hamilton for life in 1660)
* [[James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton, 1st Duke of Brandon]] (1658–1712) (created Duke of Brandon in 1711)
* [[James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Brandon]] (1703–1743)
* [[James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Brandon]] (1724–1758)
* [[James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton|James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton, 4th Duke of Brandon]] (1755–1769) (succeeded as 4th Marquess of Douglas in 1761)
* [[Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton|Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton, 5th Duke of Brandon]] (1756–1799)
* [[Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton|Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, 6th Duke of Brandon]] (1740–1819)
* [[Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton|Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton, 7th Duke of Brandon]] (1767–1852)<ref>Named as ''Hamilton, Alexander Douglas-'' in {{Cite ODNB|id=7857|title=Hamilton, Alexander Douglas-, tenth duke of Hamilton and seventh duke of Brandon (1767–1852), aristocrat}} but ''Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton'' in [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp01995 National Portrait Gallery]</ref>
* [[William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton|William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton, 8th Duke of Brandon]] (1811–1863)<ref>Named as ''William Alexander Anthony Archibald Douglas-Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton and 8th Duke of Brandon'' in [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp96229 National Portrait Gallery]</ref>
* [[William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton|William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, 9th Duke of Brandon, 8th Earl of Selkirk]] (1845–1895)<ref>[[Complete Peerage]], Vol. VI, p 275 shows this Duke and his heirs as ''Douglas-Hamilton''s, all previous Dukes as Hamiltons; some other sources show the 10th and 11th Dukes as ''Douglas-Hamilton'' as well.</ref>
* [[Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton|Alfred Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton, 10th Duke of Brandon, 9th Earl of Selkirk]] (1862–1940)
* [[Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton|Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, 11th Duke of Brandon]] (1903–1973)
* [[Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton|Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton, 12th Duke of Brandon]] (1938–2010)
* [[Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton|Alexander Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, 13th Duke of Brandon]] (born 1978)

The heir apparent is the present Duke's eldest son Douglas Charles Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale (born 2012).<ref name="DBP_Hamilton and Brandon"/>

==Line of succession==
{{Collapse top|title={{Small|Line of succession (simplified)}}}}
{{Tree list}}
*[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton, 1st Duke of Brandon (1660–1724)''
**[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Brandon (1703–1743)''
***[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Brandon (1724–1758)''
****[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton, 4th Duke of Brandon (1755–1769)''
****[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton, 5th Duke of Brandon (1756–1799)''
***[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, 6th Duke of Brandon (1740–1819)''
****[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton, 7th Duke of Brandon (1767–1852)''
*****[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton, 8th Duke of Brandon (1811–1863)''
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, 9th Duke of Brandon (1845–1895)''
**''[[Lord Anne Hamilton]] (1709–1748)''
***''Admiral [[Charles Powell Hamilton]] (1747–1825)''
****''Augustus Barrington Price Anne Powell Douglas-Hamilton (1781–1849)''
*****''Captain Charles Henry Douglas-Hamilton (1808–1873)''
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton, 10th Duke of Brandon, 9th Earl of Selkirk (1862–1940)''
*******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, 11th Duke of Brandon (1903–1973)''
********[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] ''Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton, 12th Duke of Brandon (1938–2010)''
*********[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|35px]] '''Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, 13th Duke of Brandon''' ({{Born in|1978}})
**********'''(1).''' Douglas Charles Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale ({{Born in|2012}})
**********'''(2).''' Lord William Frederick Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|2014}})
**********'''(3).''' Lord Basil George Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|2016}})
*********'''(4).''' Lord John William Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1979}})
********[[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|35px]] [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|35px]] ''[[James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas|James Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 11th Earl of Selkirk, Baron Selkirk of Douglas]]'' (1942–2023)
*********[[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|35px]] '''(5).''' John Andrew Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Selkirk ({{Born in|1978}})
*********'''(6).''' Hon. Charles Douglas Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1979}})
*********'''(7).''' Hon. James Robert Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1981}})
*********'''(8).''' Hon. Harry Alexander Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1981}})
********''Lord Hugh Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton (1946–1995)''
*********'''(9).''' Brendan Thomas Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1974}})
********'''(10).''' Lord Patrick George Douglas-Hamilton ({{Born in|1950}})
*******[[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|35px]] ''[[George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk]] (1906–1994)''
*******''[[Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton|Lord Malcolm Avondale Douglas-Hamilton]] (1909–1964)''
********male issue and descendants in remainder
*****''Francis Seymour Douglas-Hamilton (1811–1874)''
******''Algernon Percy Douglas-Hamilton (1844–1891)''
*******''Percy Seymour Douglas-Hamilton (1875–1940)''
********''John Percy Douglas-Hamilton (1930–2008)''
*********male issue in remainder

The next line of heirs (under provision 4 of the special remainder) is those of the heirs whatsoever of the 3rd Duchess, namely [[Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby]] ({{Born in|1962}}) (a descendant of the 6th Duke through his only daughter, Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, who married [[Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby]]). Lord Derby is not, however, an heir to the Marquessate of Douglas and its subsidiary titles, which would pass to the heir male (a junior-line descendant of one of the Earls of Angus, as the heirs male of the body of the 3rd Duchess are the only remaining heirs male of the body of the 1st Marquess of Douglas).{{Clarify||to which heir male? Lord Derby would only become Duke if the 3rd Duchess' male line dies out, so the Marquessate would go extinct in this case if it has no special remainder|date=April 2019}}  He is also not an heir to the Dukedom of Brandon or the Barony of Dutton, which are limited to the heirs male of the body of the 3rd Duchess.

{{Tree list/end}}
<ref>{{Cite book |year=1999 |chapter=Hamilton and Brandon |editor1-last=Mosley |editor1-first=Charles |title=Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage|volume=1 |edition=106th |location=Crans, Switzerland |publisher=Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) |pages=1281–1286|isbn=2-940085-02-1}}</ref><ref name="DBP_Hamilton and Brandon">{{Cite book |year=2019|chapter=Hamilton and Brandon, Duke of |editor1-last=Morris |editor1-first=Susan |editor2-last=Bosberry-Scott |editor2-first=Wendy |editor3-last=Belfield |editor3-first=Gervase |title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage|volume=1 |edition=150th |location=London |publisher=Debrett's |pages=1680–1686 |isbn=978-1-999767-0-5-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |year=2019|chapter=Selkirk of Douglas, Baron |editor1-last=Morris |editor1-first=Susan |editor2-last=Bosberry-Scott |editor2-first=Wendy |editor3-last=Belfield |editor3-first=Gervase |title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage|volume=1 |edition=150th |location=London |publisher=Debrett's |pages=3133–3135 |isbn=978-1-999767-0-5-1}}</ref>
{{Collapse bottom}}

==Family Tree==
{{Hamilton family tree}}

==See also==
* [[Clan Hamilton]]
* [[Clan Douglas]]
* [[Earl of Angus]]
* [[Earl of Arran (Scotland)]]
* [[Earl of Orkney]]
* [[Earl of Selkirk]]
* [[Lord Abernethy]]
* [[Hamilton Palace]] and [[Hamilton Mausoleum]]
* [[Brodick Castle]]
* [[Lennoxlove|Lennoxlove House]]
* [[Holyrood Palace#Keeper of Holyroodhouse|Holyrood Palace]]
* [[Duke of Abercorn]]
* [[Lord Belhaven and Stenton]]

==References==
{{refbegin}}
{{reflist}}

==Works cited==
*{{cite book | last=Hesilrige | first=Arthur G. M. | date=1921 | title=Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy | url=https://archive.org/details/debrettspeeraget00unse/page/435 | location=160A, [[Fleet street]], [[London]], UK | publisher=[[Dean & Son]] | page=435 }}
* {{cite book|title=[[Burke's Peerage and Baronetage]]|volume=106| year=1999| pages=1742–1748}}
* {{cite book| first=Rosalind K.| last=Marshall| title=''The Days of Duchess Anne, Life in the Household of the Duchess of Hamilton 1656–1716''| year=1974| location=[[Edinburgh]] years=1974, 2000| publisher=[[St. Martin's Press]]|isbn=1862321116|url=https://archive.org/details/daysofduchessann00mars/page/n7/mode/2up|quote=archive.org}}
* {{cite book|quote=[[Sir Herbert Maxwell, 7th Baronet|Sir Herbert Maxwell]]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhouseof02maxw |title=''A history of the house of Douglas from the earliest times down to the legislative union of England and Scotland''| volume=1, 2| location=217, Picadilly w, [[London]] |year=1902| isbn=1142332098| publisher=Freemantle & co.}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/hamilton/family.html Hamilton family portraits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302140128/http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/hamilton/family.html |date=2 March 2009 }}
* [http://www.lennoxlove.com/ Lennoxlove House]
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalResidences/ThePalaceofHolyroodhouse/ThePalaceofHolyroodhouse.aspx Palace of Holyroodhouse]

{{Extant British dukedoms}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton}}
[[Category:Dukes of Hamilton| ]]
[[Category:Dukedoms in the Peerage of Scotland]]
[[Category:House of Hamilton| ]]
[[Category:Lists of Scottish people]]
[[Category:North Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:People associated with South Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:Peerages created with special remainders]]
[[Category:Noble titles created in 1643]]