Gustavus Hamilton, 1st Viscount Boyne

Background

He was the third son of Hon. Frederick Hamilton, fifth and youngest son of the 1st Lord Paisley, and his wife Sidney Vaughan, daughter of Sir John Vaughan. Hamilton was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and was awarded the degree of a Doctor of Civil Law in 1677.

Career

Hamilton was captain in the English Army and was sworn of the Privy Council of England on the accession of King James II of England in 1685. Shortly after this he quit his service and therefore was attained. In the Glorious Revolution, he was appointed colonel of the 20th Foot by William of Orange in 1689 and fought with his regiment in the Siege of Derry and then in the Storming of Athlone, becoming the town's governor. In the Battle of the Boyne in the following year, his horse was shot under him and he almost killed. He was promoted to brigadier-general in 1696 and major-general in 1704. Boyne served as Vice-Admiral of Ulster from 1691 until 1710 and again from 1716 until his death in 1723.

From 1692 to 1713, Hamilton sat in the Irish House of Commons for Donegal County. Subsequently he was returned for Strabane until 1715, when he was elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Hamilton of Stackallan, in the County of Meath. On 20 August 1717, Hamilton was further honoured, when he was created Viscount Boyne, in the Province of Leinster, also in the Irish Peerage. In 1710, he was invested to the Privy Council of Ireland.

Family

He married Elizabeth Brooke, second daughter of Sir Henry Brooke. They had three sons and a daughter. Hamilton died and was buried at Stackallen in County Meath. His oldest son Frederick having predeceased him in 1715, Hamilton was succeeded in his titles by his grandson Gustavus. Hamilton's second son Gustavus, the father of the 3rd Viscount Boyne and 4th Viscount Boyne, represented Donegal County as well as Boyne's third son Henry.