Dukedom of Hamilton held with Dukedom of Brandon
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
Created by	Charles I
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	James Hamilton, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton
Present holder	Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke
Heir apparent	Douglas Charles Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale
Remainder to	heirs maleof the body of thegrantee; the grantee'sbrother; heirs male of the body of the grantee's brother; the grantee'seldest daughter, followed by her heirs male; nearest heirs whatsoever of the grantee[1]
Subsidiary titles	Marquess of Douglas Marquess of Clydesdale Earl of Angus Earl of Lanark Earl of Arran and Cambridge Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest Lord Machanshire and Polmont Lord Aven and Innerdale Baron Dutton
Status	Extant
Seat	Lennoxlove House
Former seats	Hamilton Palace Brodick Castle Dungavel House Kinneil House Ashton Hall Ferne House Cadzow Castle

Duke of Hamilton is a title in thePeerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the seniordukedom in that peerage (except for theDukedom 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 theHouse of Hamilton. The title, the town ofHamilton inLanarkshire, and many places around the world are named after members of theHamilton family. The ducal family's surname, originally "Hamilton", is now "Douglas-Hamilton". Since 1711, the dukedom has been held together with the Dukedom of Brandon in thePeerage of Great Britain, and the dukes since that time have been styledDuke of Hamilton and Brandon, along with several other subsidiary titles.

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

• 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)

• 13th Duke of Brandon, in the County of Suffolk (created 1711)
• 13th Baron Dutton, in the County of Chester (created 1711)

The duke of Hamilton and Brandon is the hereditary keeper of thePalace 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 Gaelicearls of Fife, the hereditary bearer of theCrown of Scotland, a role performed by the 15th duke at the inauguration of theScottish Parliament in 1999^[2][3][4] and the 16th duke at the State Opening of Parliament, 30 June 2011.^[5] 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 inSt Giles' Cathedral on 12 September 2022.^[6] Traditionally, the duke of Hamilton enjoys the exclusive right to remove theScottish Crown Jewels from the City ofEdinburgh.^{[citation needed]} He also regularly attends sittings in theCourt of Lord Lyon as a hereditaryassessor, sitting on the bench besideLord Lyon.

Thecourtesy titles used byheirs 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" (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".

The duke of Hamilton and Brandon is one of only five British peers to hold more than one dukedom, the others being:

• thePrince of Wales (who isDuke of Cornwall,Duke of Rothesay, andDuke of Cambridge);
• theDuke of Buccleuch andQueensberry;
• theDuke of Argyll (who holds two Dukedoms of Argyll); and
• theDuke of Richmond,Lennox andGordon

Historically, several other peers have held multiple dukedoms, including theDuke of Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle-under-Lyne, theDuke of Argyll and Greenwich, theDuke of Monmouth and Buccleuch and the twoDukes of Queensberry and Dover and some other mainly royal dukes.

Gilbert de Hameldun is recorded as witnessing a charter confirming the gift of the church at Cragyn to theAbbey of Paisley in 1271. His ancestry is uncertain but he may have been the son of William de Hamilton (third son ofRobert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester) and Mary of Strathearn. Gilbert de Hameldun married Isabella Randolph, daughter ofThomas Randolph of Strathdon,Chamberlain of Scotland. His heir wasWalter fitz Gilbert. He was governor ofBothwell Castle for the English Crown during theFirst War of Scottish Independence. Following theBattle of Bannockburn in 1314, he gave refuge to theEarl of Hertford and other escapees, only to deliver them and Bothwell up toEdward Bruce. He then became a Bruce partisan. Sometime between 1315 and 1329,Robert the Bruce knighted him and granted him lands inRenfrewshire and theLothians and Cadzow (present dayHamilton inLanarkshire), includingCadzow Castle. The lands had previously belonged toJohn Comyn, who was murdered by Robert the Bruce.

The 1st laird of Cadzow was succeeded as the 2nd laird by his sonSir David fitz Walter. He was a supporter ofKing David II and fought at theBattle of Neville's Cross (Battle of Durham) where he was captured along with the King. His sonDavid Hamilton, the 3rd laird, was the first to establish Hamilton as the family name. David Hamilton's sonSir John Hamilton became the 4th laird and was, in turn, succeeded as the 5th laird by his sonJames Hamilton.

The 5th laird was succeeded as 6th laird by his son,Sir James Hamilton, who was created aLord of Parliament asLord Hamilton on 3 July 1445.^[7] In early 1474, he marriedPrincess Mary, Countess of Arran, daughter ofKing James II and widow ofThomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran. He was succeeded by his only legitimate son,James, 2nd Lord Hamilton. In 1490, then aged 15, he married the 13-year-old Elizabeth, Lady Hay, daughter ofAlexander Home, 2nd Lord Home and widow of Sir Thomas Hay, Master of Yester, son and heir ofJohn 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 aPrivy Counsellor toKing James IV, and helped to arrange his marriage toMargaret, daughter ofKing Henry VII ofEngland. As a reward, he was createdEarl of Arran on 8 August 1503.^[8] He was succeeded by his elder son from his second marriage,James, 2nd Earl of Arran. He was Regent of Scotland between 1542 and 1554, and guardian of the youngMary, Queen of Scots. He was createdDuc de Châtellerault in thePeerage of France in 1548 for his part in arranging the marriage of Queen Mary toFrancis, Dauphin of France. This French Dukedom was forfeited when he switched allegiances in 1559.Emperor Napoleon III "confirmed" this title for the12th 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.^[9]

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

The 3rd Earl's younger brotherJohn Hamilton (who was styled Lord Hamilton as is traditional for the younger sons of Earls^[10]) was appointed to administer his brother's estates. He was createdMarquess of Hamilton,Earl of Arran andLord Aven on 17 April 1599.^[11] His son,James, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton (who had been createdLord Aberbrothwick (orArbroath) on 5 May 1608,^[12] before he succeeded) moved to England withKing James VI, and invested into theSomers Isles Company, an offshoot of theVirginia Company, buying the shares ofLucy Russell, Countess of Bedford. The Parish ofHamilton in the Somers Isles (nowBermuda) 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 createdEarl of Cambridge andBaron Innerdale in thePeerage of England on 16 June 1619.

His son,James, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton, was createdDuke of Hamilton,Marquess of Clydesdale,Earl of Arran and Cambridge andLord Aven and Innerdale on 12 April 1643,^[13] 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, 2nd Duke of Hamilton, who had already been createdEarl of Lanark andLord 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, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. The 1503 Earldom of Arran and the Lordship of Hamilton became dormant,^[14] 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 marriedWilliam Douglas, 1st Earl of Selkirk, third son ofWilliam Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas. He had been createdEarl of Selkirk andLord Daer and Shortcleuch on 4 August 1646.^[15] He changed his surname to "Hamilton", and on 20 September 1660 was createdDuke of Hamilton,Marquess of Clydesdale,Earl of Arran, Lanark and Selkirk andLord Aven, Machanshire, Polmont and Daerfor life.^[15] 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. (SeeEarl 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, 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 theActs of Union 1707, the 4th Duke was the leader of the anti-union party. He was createdDuke of Brandon, in theCounty of Suffolk, andBaron Dutton, in theCounty of Chester, in thePeerage of Great Britain on 10 September 1711,^[16] but was wrongfully refused a summons to theParliament of Great Britain under that title (although he continued to sit as aScottish representative peer). He was killed ina celebrated duel withCharles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun (who also died) inHyde Park in London on 15 November 1712.

The 4th Duke's sonJames, 5th Duke of Hamilton was succeeded by his sonJames, 6th Duke of Hamilton, and he by his sonJames, 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 theHouse 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 brotherDouglas, 8th Duke of Hamilton. He left no sons and the title passed back to his uncle, the 6th Duke's brother,Archibald, 9th Duke of Hamilton. He was succeeded by his sonAlexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, and then by his sonWilliam, 11th Duke of Hamilton. The 11th Duke's sonWilliam, 12th Duke of Hamilton (who changed his surname to "Hamilton Douglas"), died without a male heir, and the Dukedom passed to his fourth cousinAlfred, 13th Duke of Hamilton,^[17] who was descended from the 4th Duke of Hamilton and whose line of the family had adopted the surname "Douglas-Hamilton". His son wasDouglas, 14th Duke of Hamilton, who was succeeded by his sonAngus, 15th Duke of Hamilton. He died in 2010, and was succeeded by his son, the current Duke,Alexander, 16th Duke of Hamilton.

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

1. heirs maleof the body of thegrantee, failing which to
2. the grantee'sbrother and heirs male of the body of the grantee's brother, failing which to
3. the grantee'seldest daughter and heirs male of her body, failing which to
4. nearest heirs whatsoever of the grantee.^[1]

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.

George Douglas, an illegitimate son ofWilliam Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, was createdEarl of Angus on 9 April 1389.^[18]

His descendant,William, 11th Earl of Angus, was createdMarquess of Douglas,Earl of Angus andLord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest on 14 June 1633.^[19]

His great-grandson,Archibald, 3rd Marquess of Douglas, was createdDuke of Douglas,Marquess of Angus and Abernethy,Viscount of Jedburgh Forest andLord 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.

Coat of arms of Duke of Hamilton

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) 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) 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)

Thearms 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 twocrests, 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). Thesupporters are:on either side an Antelope Argent armed unguled ducally gorged and chained Or. Each crest has amotto, namely "Through" (over the 1st crest) and "Jamais Arriere" ("Never Behind") (over the 2nd crest).

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

• James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton (died 1479)
• James Hamilton, 2nd Lord Hamilton (c.1475–1529) (created Earl of Arran in 1503)

• James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran (c. 1475–1529)
• James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (1515–1575) (alsoDuke of Châtellerault in theFrench nobility from 1548 until 1559)
• James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran (1533/1538–1609) (underattainder 1579–1585)
• James Hamilton, 4th Earl of Arran (1589–1625) (had already succeeded as 2nd Marquess of Hamilton)

• 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, 1st Earl of Cambridge (1589–1625) (succeeded as 4th Earl of Arran in 1609)
• 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)

• 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, 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 Douglaslater Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk (1635–1694) (created Duke of Hamilton for life in 1660)

• James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton, 1st Duke of Brandon (1658–1712) (created Duke of Brandon in 1711)
• James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Brandon (1703–1743)
• James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Brandon (1724–1758)
• 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, 5th Duke of Brandon (1756–1799)
• Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, 6th Duke of Brandon (1740–1819)
• Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton, 7th Duke of Brandon (1767–1852)^[20]
• William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton, 8th Duke of Brandon (1811–1863)^[21]
• William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, 9th Duke of Brandon, 8th Earl of Selkirk (1845–1895)^[22]
• 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, 11th Duke of Brandon (1903–1973)
• Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton, 12th Duke of Brandon (1938–2010)
• 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).^[23]

• Clan Hamilton
• Clan Douglas
• Earl of Angus
• Earl of Arran (Scotland)
• Earl of Orkney
• Earl of Selkirk
• Lord Abernethy
• Hamilton Palace andHamilton Mausoleum
• Brodick Castle
• Lennoxlove House
• Holyrood Palace
• Duke of Abercorn
• Lord Belhaven and Stenton

• Hamilton family portraitsArchived 2 March 2009 at theWayback Machine
• Lennoxlove House
• Palace of Holyroodhouse

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