Thomas Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Haddington facts for kids
Thomas Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Haddington (born 1626, died 8 February 1645) was a young Scottish nobleman. He held an important title in Scotland during the 1600s.
Early Life and Family
Thomas Hamilton was born in 1626. He was the oldest son of Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington and Lady Catherine Erskine. His mother's parents were John Erskine, Earl of Mar and Lady Marie Stewart.
Thomas became the Earl of Haddington when he was still a child. This happened after his father died in an explosion. The explosion took place at Dunglass Castle during a time known as the Bishops' Wars. These wars were conflicts in Scotland during the 1600s.
Education and Marriage
To continue his education, young Thomas traveled to Europe. While he was in France, he met a woman named Henriette de Coligny. She was the daughter of Gaspard de Coligny, who was a powerful military leader in France.
Henriette de Coligny was eight years older than Thomas. Even so, they decided to get married in 1643.
Return to Scotland and Later Life
After their wedding, Thomas and Henriette returned to Scotland. There, Thomas became involved with a group called the Covenanters. The Covenanters were a Scottish religious and political movement. They supported changes in the church and government.
Sadly, Thomas died young on 8 February 1645. He was still a teenager and passed away from a lung illness called consumption, which is now known as tuberculosis. He did not have any children.
After Thomas's death, his wife Henriette went back to France. She later married Gaspard de Champagne and died in 1673. Thomas's younger brother, John Hamilton, 4th Earl of Haddington, then became the next Earl of Haddington.
