Duke of Hamilton: Encyclopedia II - Duke of Hamilton - Baron of Cadzow

Duke of Hamilton - Baron of Cadzow

Gilbert de Hameldun is recorded as witnessing a charter confirming the gift of the church at Cragyn to the Abbey of Paisley in 1271. His ancestry is uncertain but he was probably the son of William de Hamilton (third son of Robert, 3rd Earl of Leicester) and Mary of Strathearn. Gilbert de Hameldun married Isabella Randolph, daughter of Thomas Randolph, of Strathdon, Chamberlain of Scotland. His heir was Walter fitz Gilbert de Hambledon (c.1250-bef.1336). Walter fitz Gilbert was governor of Bothwell Castle for the English crown but during Wars of Scottish Independence he sided with Robert the Bruce fighting with him at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Sometime between 1315 and 1329, Robert the Bruce knighted him and granted him lands in Renfrewshire, the Lothians and the barony of Cadzow (now called Hamilton in Lanarkshire) where he began construction of Cadzow Castle. The barony had previously belonged to John Comyn who had been murdered by Robert the Bruce.

The 1st Baron was succeeded by his son David fitz Walter fitz Gilbert (c.1310-1374/1378). He was a supporter of David II and fought at the Battle of Neville's Cross (Battle of Durham) where he was captured along with his king. His son David Hamilton, 3rd Baron of Cadzow (c.1333-c.1392) was the first to establish Hamilton as the family name. David Hamilton's son, John Hamilton (?-bef. 1410) became the 4th baron and was in turn succeeded by his son James Hamilton, 5th Baron of Cadzow (?-bef. 1441).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Baron of Cadzow", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki