Sunday, January 22, 2012

Regent James Hamilton


‘…The Government of the kingdom was claimed by the late Prime Minister, Cardinal Beaton, in virtue of a testament of the deceased king [James V of Scotland], which, however, was universally regarded as a forgery perpetrated by that ambitious churchman…The nobles, who had no mind to perpetuate the power under which they had long groaned, unanimously rejected the claim, and preferred that of the Earl of Arran, representative of the house of Hamilton, and next heir to the Scottish crown, who was recognized accordingly as regent…’



James V of Scotland left his infant daughter, the future Mary Queen of Scots, as last representative of his royal line when he died (December 14, 1542).  The 2nd Earl of Arran, James Hamilton, was selected as regent for Mary, as noted in Walter Scott’s “History of Scotland”.  James served as Regent until 1554, when he surrendered his regency to Mary’s mother, Mary of Guise.  James Hamilton lived more than twenty years more, dying on January 22nd, 1575.

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