James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton

Who was James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton?

James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton and 4th Earl of Arran KG PC, styled Lord Aven from 1599 to 1604, was a Scottish politician. He was the son of John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton.

He inherited his father's titles and estates in 1604. In 1608 he was created Lord Aberbrothwick, and the following year he inherited the earldom of Arran from his insane and childless uncle James Hamilton. He moved to England with King James VI, and invested into the Somers Isles Company, an offshoot of the Virginia company, buying the shares of Lucy Harrington, Countess of Bedford. The Parish of Hamilton in the Somers Isles is named for him. He was created Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Innerdale in the peerage of England on 16 June 1619. In 1621 he served as Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland, the King's representative in the Parliament of Scotland.

In 1603, he married Lady Ann Cunningham, a daughter of James Cunningham, 7th Earl of Glencairn and they had five children:

Lady Anne Hamilton, married Hugh Montgomerie, 7th Earl of Eglinton and had issue

Lady Margaret Hamilton, married John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford and had issue