Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Haddington
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Portrait of Lord Haddington
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| Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland | |
| In office 1583–1595 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington |
| Succeeded by | Robert Ker |
| Lord Advocate | |
| In office 1612–1596 |
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| Preceded by | David MacGill |
| Succeeded by | Sir William Oliphant |
| In office 1595–1596 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Logie |
| Succeeded by | David MacGill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Hamilton
1563 |
| Died | May 29, 1637 (aged 73–74) |
| Spouses |
Margaret Borthwick
(m. 1588; Margaret Foulis
(m. 1597; Julian Ker
(m. 1613; |
| Children | 4, including Thomas |
| Parents | Sir Thomas Hamilton Elizabeth Heriot |
| Relatives | Andrew Hamilton, Lord Redhouse (brother) |
Thomas Hamilton, the 1st Earl of Haddington (born 1563, died 1637), was an important Scottish leader. He worked as a top lawyer, a judge, and helped manage the country. He was also known as 'Tam o' the Cowgate' to his friends.
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Who Was Thomas Hamilton?
Thomas Hamilton was the son of Sir Thomas Hamilton. His father was also a judge. Thomas's mother was Elizabeth Heriot. He had a younger brother named Andrew.
Thomas went to school in Paris, France. After his studies, he became known as Thomas Hamilton of Drumcarny.
His Amazing Career
Thomas Hamilton started his career as a lawyer in 1587. He became a judge in 1592. In 1596, he was chosen to be the Lord Advocate. This was a very important legal job in Scotland.
He later became the Lord Clerk Register in 1612. This role involved keeping important government records. By 1616, he was the Lord President of the Court of Session. This meant he was the head judge in Scotland's highest court.
Working with King James VI
Thomas Hamilton was good friends with King James VI of Scotland. The King really valued Thomas's legal skills. In 1593, Thomas was part of a group that helped manage the money for Anne of Denmark, the Queen.
He was also one of eight special people called the Octavians. This group was in charge of Scotland's money. Thomas was seen as a very skilled manager. When King James moved to London in 1603, Thomas was given a big role in running Scotland.
Queen Anne and Prince Henry
In 1603, Thomas Hamilton was at Stirling Castle. He saw a big argument between Queen Anne and the Countess of Mar. The Queen wanted to take her son, Prince Henry, with her.
Thomas wrote down what happened during this event. The Queen said she had taken some "balm water." The Earl of Montrose, another important leader, tried to calm things down. He helped Queen Anne get ready to travel to England.
The Silver Mine Discovery
In 1606, something exciting happened! A large amount of silver was found on Thomas Hamilton's land. This was at Hilderston, near Bathgate.
For a while, Thomas ran the mine himself. He hired an English mining expert named Bevis Bulmer. In 1607, Thomas was even named "Master of Metals" for Scotland. The King later decided he wanted the mine for himself. Thomas was paid for his loss in 1608.
Becoming a Lord
Thomas Hamilton received special titles from the King. In 1613, he became a Lord of Parliament. His title was Lord Binning. Later, in 1619, he was made the Earl of Melrose.
In 1626, the King changed his title again. He became the Earl of Haddington. This new title kept the same important rank as his old one. In 1628, the Earl of Haddington bought a large estate called Tyninghame. He paid a lot of money for it.
His Family Life
Lord Haddington was married three times during his life. Each time, his wife passed away.
His first wife was Margaret Borthwick. They married around 1588. They had two daughters together. Margaret passed away in 1596.
In 1597, he married Margaret Foulis. She was the sister of a famous money expert, Thomas Foulis. They had several children, including:
- Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington (1600–1640). He became the next Earl. He died in an explosion at Dunglass Castle.
- Sir John Hamilton of Trabroun (1605–1638).
- Lady Jean Hamilton (1607–1642). She had children, including Lady Margaret Burnet.
Margaret Foulis died in 1609.
His third marriage was to Julian Ker in 1613. She was already a widow. With Julian, he had another son:
- Robert Hamilton (1614–1640). He never married and also died in the Dunglass Castle explosion.
Lady Haddington passed away in 1637. Lord Haddington died shortly after, on May 29, 1637. His son, Thomas, took over his titles.
His Possessions
Thomas Hamilton owned many nice things. In 1607, a list was made of all his silver items. Some silver was kept in a special cupboard in one of his houses. His daughter had the key to it.
He also had beautiful tapestries for his homes. These were like large, woven pictures that hung on the walls. Some showed stories from the Bible, like the "History of David" and the "History of Abraham." He had many other rich hangings and curtains for his rooms.
