Dukes of Hamilton Marquess of Hamilton
Hamilton was the son of Sir James Hamilton, 1st Baronet, and his wife Margaret (née Hamilton). This branch of the Hamilton family descended from John Hamilton (d c 1550), illegitimate (but later legitimised) son of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, and half-brother of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran (from whom the Dukes of Hamilton descend).
He succeeded his father in the baronetcy in circa 1645 and in 1647 he was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Lord Belhaven and Stenton, of the County of Haddington, with remainder to heirs male. He died in June 1679, without surviving male issue, when the baronetcy became extinct. He was succeeded in the lordship according to the special remainder by the aforementioned John Hamilton of Pressmannan.
The following year he was a member of the Scottish army in England that unsuccessfully attempted to rescue Charles I, and managed to escape from the Battle of Preston.
