Charles Hamilton, Count of Arran facts for kids

Charles Hamilton (born March 30, 1691 – died August 13, 1754) was the son of James Hamilton, Earl of Arran and Lady Barbara FitzRoy. He spent most of his life in France, where he was known as the Comte d'Arran.

Growing Up in London

Charles Hamilton was born in London in 1691. His grandmother, the Duchess of Cleveland, owned the house where he was born. His father was James Hamilton, who later became the 4th Duke of Hamilton. His mother was Lady Barbara FitzRoy, who was herself the daughter of King Charles II of England.

After Charles was born, his mother became a nun in France. She joined a priory, which is a type of monastery, in Pontoise, France. She later became the leader of the priory in 1721. Charles was raised by his grandmother, the Duchess of Cleveland.

Life in France

In 1698, Charles moved to France. He was placed under the care of the Earl of Middleton. The Earl was an important official for the exiled King James II of England.

While in France, Charles was known as the Count of Arran, or Comte d'Arran in French. This title was a reference to his father's family, the Dukes of Hamilton, who held the title of Earl of Arran in Scotland. It is believed that this was a real title given to him, possibly because of his close family ties to the Kings of France. His great-grandmother was Henrietta Maria of France, making him a distant cousin to the French kings Louis XIV and Louis XV.

In France, Charles Hamilton met and married Antoinette Courteney. She was the daughter of Charles Courteney of Archambaud. Charles and Antoinette had one son together.

Later Years and Writings

In 1712, Charles's father died in a famous duel. Charles Hamilton challenged the man believed to be responsible for his father's death, but the challenge was refused.

After this, Charles traveled to Switzerland and spent his time living between Switzerland and Paris. He became interested in Alchemy, which was an early form of chemistry. He also became good friends with George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal.

Charles Hamilton also wrote a book. It was called "Transactions During the Reign of Queen Anne, From the Union to the Death of that Princess." His son published the book after Charles's death in 1790.

Charles Hamilton passed away in Paris on August 13, 1754. He was buried in Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, a church in Paris. He left everything he owned to his son.

His Family

Charles Hamilton married Antoinette Courteney in Paris in 1737. They had one son:

• Charles Hamilton James, born on July 16, 1738, in Edinburgh. He died on April 9, 1800. He married Catherine Napier in 1760 and they had two children:
  • Lt. Col Sir William James (1777 – 1820). He married twice and had children with both wives.
  • Anne James. She married Sir St. Andrew St. John and they had children.

Charles Hamilton's son, Charles Hamilton James, chose to use "James" as his family name. He did this because Charles Hamilton wanted his children to have a different surname from the Hamilton family. "James" was his father's first name.