Anne Hamilton, Countess of Huntly facts for kids

Anne Hamilton, Countess of Huntly (born around 1535 – died after 17 April 1574) was an important Scottish noblewoman. She was part of the powerful Hamilton family, who were very close to the Scottish royal family. Her father, James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault, was next in line to the Scottish throne after Mary, Queen of Scots for a long time. Anne was married to George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly, who was a key figure in Scottish politics during Queen Mary's reign.

When she was a teenager, Anne worked in the household of Marie of Guise, who was Queen Mary's mother. Anne served as a lady-in-waiting and maid-of-honour.

Anne's Family Background

Lady Anne was born in Scotland around 1535. She was the oldest daughter of James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault, and Lady Margaret Douglas. Her family, the Hamiltons, were one of the most important noble families in Scotland. They were very close to the royal Stewart family. This was because Anne's great-grandfather had married Princess Mary Stewart, who was the sister of King James III.

For many years, Anne's father, James Hamilton, was the heir presumptive to the Scottish throne. This meant he was next in line to become king if Queen Mary had no children. This was true at different times, especially after King James V died and before Queen Mary had her son, Prince James, in 1566. Even after Queen Mary gave up her throne in 1567, Anne's father was still next in line until he passed away in 1575.

Anne had three younger sisters and five brothers. Her brothers included James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran, John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton, and Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley. Her brother James once hoped to marry Queen Mary.

Early Life and Court Service

When Queen Mary was a baby and became queen, Anne's father, James Hamilton, became the Regent of Scotland. A Regent is someone who rules a country when the monarch is too young or unable to rule. He was Regent until 1554, when he gave the role to Queen Mary's mother, Mary of Guise.

In 1551, Mary of Guise visited France. When she returned in December, Anne received beautiful new clothes to join Guise's royal household. She became a lady-in-waiting and maid of honour. Her new clothes included fancy velvet gowns, hoods, sleeves, and stockings. Her father paid for these from the royal treasury.

Anne was unwell for a short time in early 1552 but recovered. Her older sister, Barbara Hamilton, also married into an important family. Anne and her sister traveled with Mary of Guise to western Scotland in March 1553. Soon after, her father stopped being Regent, and the royal records no longer showed Anne's daily expenses.

Marriage and Family

On 12 March 1558, Lady Anne married George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly. His father was George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. Anne's husband became a very important and powerful noble during Queen Mary's reign.

Anne was known for being strong-willed. She and George had four children:

• Lady Jean Gordon (died after 1615): She married George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness, and they had five children.
• George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly (1562–1636): He married Henrietta Stewart and they had seven children.
• Alexander Gordon (died 1622): He married Lady Agnes Sinclair.
• William Gordon: He became a monk.

Anne's husband, George Gordon, faced challenges. After his father's rebellion and death in 1562, George was held at Dunbar Castle. His titles and lands were taken away for a time. He had refused Queen Mary entry to Inverness Castle, which was a royal property. However, he was later pardoned by the queen. His titles and lands were given back to him in 1565, after Queen Mary married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He became fully free in 1565 and was officially given back his important positions in 1567. That same year, he was made Lord Chancellor of Scotland, a very high legal office.

Mary, Queen of Scots, thought highly of Anne. Anne was the only Hamilton mentioned in Queen Mary's will, which she wrote in June 1566. In 1567, Anne's husband was part of a group of nobles involved in major political events. He was allied with James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, who was married to George's sister, Jean. George later helped his sister Jean get a divorce from Bothwell, which allowed Bothwell to marry the widowed Queen Mary. George witnessed the marriage contract between the queen and Bothwell and was part of the group that went with them to Edinburgh before their wedding.

Anne's brother, Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley, led some of Queen Mary's troops at the Battle of Langside. However, the queen's forces were defeated. Many of Anne's relatives were killed or captured in that battle.

Anne Hamilton passed away sometime after 17 April 1574.