Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claud Hamilton,
Earl of Abercorn
Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn.
Tenure	About 1680 – 1691
Predecessor	George, 3rd Earl of Abercorn
Successor	Charles, 5th Earl of Abercorn
Born	1659 Dublin
Died	August 1691 At sea off Brest
Spouse(s)	Never married
Father	George, 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane
Mother	Elizabeth Fagan

Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn (1659–1691) was an important Scottish and Irish noble. He was a supporter of the Jacobites, who wanted King James II to remain on the throne. Claud fought for King James during the Williamite War in Ireland. He even went with the King to Derry in 1689. There, he tried to get the town to surrender. Claud also formed his own group of soldiers on horseback. He led them in battles like Newtownbutler in 1689 and Aughrim in 1691. Sadly, he died at sea in 1691 when his ship was attacked.

Early Life and Family

Claud was born in 1659. He was likely born at Kenure House in Rush, near Dublin. He was the oldest son of George Hamilton and Elizabeth Fagan. His father was the 4th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. He owned a lot of land around Strabane, in County Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland.

Claud's family, the Strabanes, were a smaller part of the larger Abercorn family. His mother, Elizabeth Fagan, was very wealthy. She was the only child of Christopher Fagan.

Here are Claud's brothers and sisters:

• Claud (1659–1691)
• Anne (died 1680), who married John Browne
• Charles (died 1701), who became the 5th Earl of Abercorn after Claud
• Mary, who married Garrett Dillon, a lawyer in Dublin

Both of Claud's parents were Catholic. Their main home was Kenure House near Dublin. This is probably where Claud and his siblings were born. His father also died there.

Becoming Lord Strabane

In 1668, when Claud was just nine years old, his father passed away. This meant Claud became the 5th Baron Hamilton of Strabane. People usually called him Lord Strabane. This was to avoid confusion with other nobles who also had the title "Lord Hamilton" in Scotland.

Becoming Earl of Abercorn

Around 1680, something important happened. His father's cousin, George Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Abercorn, died in Italy. This meant the main line of the Abercorn family ended. The title then passed to Claud's family branch.

Claud was the closest living relative in this branch. So, he became the 4th Earl of Abercorn. This made him an Earl, which was a higher rank than a Baron. However, it did not make him much richer. The 2nd Earl had lost most of the Abercorn family's lands in Scotland.

Fighting for King James

Claud, now known as Lord Abercorn, supported King James II. When King James left England during the Glorious Revolution, Claud went with him to France. Then, in 1689, he joined King James in Ireland.

When King James set up his government in Dublin, Claud was given important roles. He became a member of the King's special council, called the Privy Council. He also became a "Lord of the Bedchamber," which meant he was a close attendant to the King.

Claud went with King James to Derry. On April 18, 1689, King James asked the city to surrender. Two days later, on April 20, King James sent Claud to the city walls with a final offer. However, Adam Murray, who represented the city, refused the offer. After this, the army began the Siege of Derry.

Claud also raised a group of soldiers on horseback for King James in Ireland. He led them in a fight against Enniskillen in July 1689. He was hurt when his side lost the Battle of Newtownbutler on July 31.

Later, on May 11, 1691, the Williamites (supporters of King William) declared Claud an outlaw. This meant he lost his Irish noble title and his lands in Ireland.

On July 12, 1691, Claud fought in the Battle of Aughrim. He was under the command of Saint Ruth. His cavalry (horse soldiers) were on the right side of the Jacobite army. During the battle, the Williamites attacked the Jacobite army from the left side. Many Jacobite foot soldiers ran away. This made it hard for Claud's cavalry to fight effectively.

Death and What Happened Next

After the defeat at Aughrim, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnel, sent Claud to France. Claud was supposed to tell King James about the loss and ask for help. He got on a ship in Limerick to go to France. But a Dutch privateer (a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships) stopped his ship. Claud was killed during the fight that followed.

Claud was 32 years old when he died. He had never married. His younger brother, Charles, became the next Earl. Charles had become a Protestant and supported King William.

Because the Earl of Abercorn title was a Scottish one, it was not affected by Claud being declared an outlaw in Ireland. So, Charles immediately became the 5th Earl of Abercorn. In 1692, Charles managed to get the outlaw status reversed. This meant he got back the title of 6th Baron Hamilton of Strabane and the family's lands in Ireland.

Images for kids

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  Claud Hamilton, 4th Earl of Abercorn.