James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (August 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran (c. 1516 – 22 January 1575) was a Scottish nobleman and the second son of James, 1st Earl of Arran.
Through his paternal grandmother Mary of Scotland, Hamilton was the great grandson of James II of Scotland. On the death of John Stewart, Duke of Albany in 1536, Arran became the next heir of the Kingdom of Scotland after the king's immediate family.
The children of the immediate royal family proved to be short-lived except the future Mary, Queen of Scots, so on the death of James V of Scotland in 1542 the Earl of Arran stood next in line to the Scottish throne after the baby Queen Mary, for whom he was appointed Regent.
Initially a Protestant and a member of the pro-English party, in 1543 he was involved in negotiating the marriage of the Queen of Scots to the infant Prince Edward (the future Edward VI). Shortly after, however, he became a Catholic and joined the pro-French faction, consenting to the marriage of the Queen to the French Dauphin, later Francis II. In 1548, the Queen of Scots went to live in the French court. For his work on negotiating the marriage, Hamilton was created Duc de Châtellerault, and made a knight of the Order of Saint Michael.
In 1554, Arran surrendered the regency to Mary of Guise, Mary Queen of Scots' mother. Hamilton gave up the Regency on the condition that he would be next in line after Queen Mary, if she died childless. But Scottish succession had been secretly promised to France.
Hamilton changed allegiance again in 1559, joining the Protestant 'Lords of the Congregation' to oppose the regency of Mary of Guise, and losing his French dukedom as a result. When Francis II died in 1560 Hamilton attempted, without success, to arrange for his son James to marry the young widowed Queen Mary.
His support swung between Mary and the 'Lords of the Congregation', depending on how he saw his advantage, but after Mary married Lord Darnley in 1565 he withdrew to his estates in France. In 1569, he returned to Scotland and was imprisoned until, in 1573, he agreed to recognise Mary's infant James as King of Scotland.
| Scottish royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Stewart, Duke of Albany |
Heir to the Scottish throne as heir presumptive 2 July 1536–22 May 1540 |
Succeeded by James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay |
| Preceded by James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay |
Heir to the Scottish throne as heir presumptive April, 1541–8 December 1542 |
Succeeded by Mary I of Scotland |
| Preceded by Mary I of Scotland |
Heir to the Scottish throne as heir presumptive 14 December 1542–19 June 1566 |
Succeeded by James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay |
| Preceded by James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay |
Heir to the Scottish throne as heir presumptive 29 July 1567–22 January 1575 |
Succeeded by James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by James Hamilton |
Earl of Arran 1529–1575 |
Succeeded by James Hamilton |
| French nobility | ||
| Vacant
Title last held by
Charles de Valois |
Duke of Châtellerault 1548–1575 |
Vacant
Title next held by
Diane de France |
