Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn facts for kids

Charles Hamilton, the 5th Earl of Abercorn (who died in June 1701), was an important figure in Irish and Scottish history. He became an Earl after his brother, who had supported King James II, lost his titles. Charles was able to get these titles back because he supported the new King William and Queen Mary.

Early Life and Family

Charles Hamilton was born sometime between 1659 and 1668. He likely grew up at Kenure House in Rush, a town near Dublin, Ireland.

• His Parents: Charles was the second son of George Hamilton and Elizabeth Fagan. His father was the 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane, a title that meant he was an important landowner in County Tyrone, Ireland.
• Family Background: The Hamilton family of Strabane was a branch of the Abercorn family, and both families originally came from Scotland.
• His Mother: Charles's mother, Elizabeth Fagan, was a wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Christopher Fagan of Feltrim, County Dublin.
• Siblings: Charles had three other siblings.
• Religion: While his parents were Catholic, Charles later became a Protestant. The family usually lived at Kenure House, where Charles and his siblings were probably born.

Becoming an Earl

Charles's father passed away on 14 April 1668. His older brother, Claud, then became the 5th Baron of Strabane. Since Claud was not married, Charles became the next in line to inherit the title.

Around 1680, Claud also became the 4th Earl of Abercorn. This happened after their cousin George died in Italy. This made Charles the next in line for the Earldom as well.

• A Change in Power: In August 1691, when Charles was about 26 years old, his brother Claud was killed in a sea battle. Claud had supported King James II, who had been removed from the throne. Because of this, Claud's titles in Ireland were taken away by the government in May 1691.
• Charles Takes Over: Charles immediately became the 5th Earl of Abercorn. This was because the family's Scottish titles were not affected by the government's decision. However, he could not become the Baron Hamilton of Strabane at first, as that Irish title had been taken away.
• Getting the Titles Back: Charles supported the new King William and Queen Mary. He was also a Protestant, possibly because of his marriage. On 24 May 1692, he successfully got his brother's Irish titles restored. This meant he also became the 6th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. He officially took his place in the Irish House of Lords on 31 August 1695.

Marriage and Daughter

Around 1690, Charles, now the Earl of Abercorn, married Catherine Lenthall. Catherine was a widow and also his second cousin. Their shared great-grandfather was James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn.

• Catherine's Family: Catherine's father had joined the Church of Scotland, and she herself was a Protestant, just like her father and her first husband.
• Their Child: Charles and Catherine had one daughter:
  • Elizabeth, who sadly died young in February 1699. She was buried in St. Michan's Church, Dublin.

In 1697, Charles signed an oath of loyalty to King William and Queen Mary. This oath was introduced after a plot against the King and Queen.

Death and Succession

Charles Hamilton, the 5th Earl of Abercorn, died in Strabane in June 1701. He had no living children, as his only daughter, Elizabeth, had passed away in 1699.

• End of a Line: With Charles's death, the direct line of the Abercorn and Strabane titles ended.
• New Earl: The Earldom of Abercorn then passed to his second cousin, James Hamilton. James was the grandson of Sir George Hamilton, who was the fourth son of the 1st Earl of Abercorn. James became the 6th Earl of Abercorn.
• New Baron: The title of Baron Hamilton of Strabane also went to James Hamilton. This was because the rules for inheriting this title allowed it to pass to other male relatives from the original family line.
• Titles United: From that time on, the titles of Earl of Abercorn and Baron Hamilton of Strabane were always held by the same person.

Timeline

• 1665 (estimate): Charles Hamilton was born, probably at Kenure House.
• 1668, 14 April: His father died, and his brother became the 5th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. Charles became the next in line to inherit.
• About 1680: His brother Claud became the 4th Earl of Abercorn.
• About 1690: Charles married Catherine Lenthall and became a Protestant.
• 1691, August: Charles became the 5th Earl of Abercorn after his brother was killed.
• 1692, 24 May: He successfully got his brother's titles restored and also became Baron Hamilton of Strabane.
• 1695, 31 August: He took his seat in the Irish House of Lords.
• 1699, February: Elizabeth, his only child, died.
• 1701, June: Charles died in Strabane.