The best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton (June 19, 1606 – March 9, 1649)

The best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton (June 19, 1606 – March 9, 1649), Scottish nobleman and Civil war General.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hamilton,_1st_Duke_of_Hamilton

The son of James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton, and of the Lady Anne Cunningham, daughter of James Cunningham, 7th Earl of Glencairn, was born on 19 June 1606 at Hamilton Palace, Lanarkshire. Following the death of his insane great-uncle James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran in 1609, the infant was styled Earl of Arran.^[1]

Heir to the Throne of Scotland

The young James' near ancestor was the Princess Mary, daughter to James II of Scotland and Mary of Gueldres. Failing the House of Stewart, as looked increasingly possible after the death of Henry Frederick, Prince of Walesin 1612, the young Earl of Arran would become Heir presumptive to the throne of Scotland.

The best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran (c. 1537 – 1609)

The best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran (c. 1537 – 1609) was a Scottish nobleman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hamilton,_3rd_Earl_of_Arran

James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran (c. 1537 – 1609) was a Scottish nobleman.

He was the eldest son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, who was next in line for the Crown of Scotland after Mary, Queen of Scots. After the assassination of Cardinal Beaton in 1546, he was held prisoner by his father's enemies at St Andrews, before going to France where he became Commander of the Scots Guards.

The Best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran, (circa 1516 – 22 January 1575)

The Best of the Hamilton’s James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran, (circa 1516 – 22 January 1575) was a Scottish nobleman

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hamilton,_Duke_of_Châtellerault

He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran.

Through his paternal grandmother Mary of Scotland, Hamilton was the great grandson of James II of Scotland. On the death of John Stewart, Duke of Albany in 1536, Arran became the next heir of the Kingdom of Scotland after the king's immediate family.

The children of the immediate royal family proved to be short-lived except the future Mary I of Scotland, so on the death of James V of Scotland in 1542 the Earl of Arran stood next in line to the Scottish throne after the baby Queen Mary I, for whom he was appointed Regent.