# Jean, married [[Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton]] in 1555;{{Sfn|Dunlop|1890|p=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofnati25stepuoft/page/170/ 170, right column, line 37]|ps=: "Jane, who married Hugh Montgomery, third earl of Eglintoun."}}{{Sfn|Paul|1907|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04paul/page/370/ 370, line 15]|ps=: "Jean or Jane ... was married (contract dated 13 February 1553-15541553–1554) to the earl of Eglinton."}}

In 1544 Arran tried to divorce his wife. She seemed to have been suffering of poor mental health.<ref>Amy Blakeway, 'The attempted divorce of James Hamilton, earl of Arran, Governor of Scotland', ''The Innes Review'', Volume 61 Issue 1 (May 2010), pp. 1-231–23 ISSN 0020-157x [https://doi.org/10.3366/inr.2010.0001]</ref> Significantly two of their sons, James and Claud, later became insane.

An inventory of a chest of Margaret Douglas's clothes includes a purple velvet night gown with gold [[passementerie]] lined with red taffeta, a gown of black cloth of gold with gold passementerie lined with black taffeta, and other gowns and kirtles.<ref>Melanie Schuessler Bond, ''Dressing the Scottish Court 1543-15531543–1553: Clothing in the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland'' (Boydell, 2019), p. 657-8657–8.</ref>

Initially, Arran was a [[Protestant]] and a member of the pro-English party. In 1543 he helped to negotiate the marriage of the young Queen Mary to [[Edward VI|Edward]], son of King [[Henry VIII]] of England, who had [[English Reformation|broken with Rome]]. In the same year, he authorised the [[Bible translations in the Middle Ages|translation and reading of the Bible in the vernacular]].{{Sfn|Chisholm|1911a|p=[[:s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Arran, Earls of|643, third para, line four]]|ps=: "... authorized the translation and the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue ..."}} On 27 January 1543 he arrested [[David Beaton|Cardinal Beaton]], who favoured the [[Auld Alliance]]. Beaton was imprisoned at [[Dalkeith Palace]] and then [[Blackness Castle]]. However, Henry VIII doubted Arran's commitment to English policy and wanted him deposed. On 18 March 1543, Sir [[George Douglas of Pittendreich]], brother of [[Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus|Lord Angus]], told the English ambassador, [[Ralph Sadler]], that:

In September 1543 Arran turned around. He secretly met Cardinal Beaton at [[Callendar House]] and reconciled himself with his former enemy. Shortly after he became [[Catholic]] and joined the pro-French faction.{{Sfn|Bain|1892|p=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924091786040/page/n53/ 15, line 15]|ps=: "... there was an appoyntement betwixt the Governour and the Cardynall to convene and mete togither this daye at an abbey ... orelles at Lord Levenstons house [i.e. Callender House] ..."}} Around this time [[Friar Mark Hamilton]] wrote a history of the Hamilton family.<ref>Thomas James Salmon, [https://archive.org/details/borrowstounnessd00salmrich/page/24/mode/2up ''Borrowstounness and District'' (Edinburgh: William Hodge, 1913), p. 24]</ref><ref>J. Foggie, ''Renaissance Religion in Urban Scotland: The Dominican Order, 1450-15601450–1560'' (Brill, 2003), pp. 59, 71, 285.</ref> A seven-year war with England now called the [[Rough Wooing]] followed, which was declared on 20 December 1543, and signed by Arran the following month.{{Sfn|Chisholm|1911a|p=[[:s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Arran, Earls of|643, third para, line eleven]]|ps=: "war had broken out with England"}} The declaration of war was brought by [[Berwick Pursuivant|Henry Ray]] to give to the [[Parliament of Scotland]]. Arran replied that the parliament was dissolved, and so he thought it expedient not to answer Henry VIII on the points raised at the time.{{Sfn|Bain|1892|p=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924091786040/page/n277/ 238, line 41]|ps=: "My lord Governour understanding that the said officiar was direct for shawing of the said writing to the thri estatis of parliament, quhilk was befor his cuming disolvit and thai departit lang of befor : Tharfor douting giff his ansuer wald be acceptable to the King of Ingland and to his msatisfactioun or nocht, thocht nocht expedient to giff ansuer presentlie in that behalf."}}

In June 1547 Arran gathered a large army to expel the English from [[Langholm]] and the surrounding area. He had a banner made from taffeta decorated with gold foil and colours, and another banner for his trumpeter. Horses dragged the artillery and carts laden with cannonballs and tents out of Edinburgh Castle. The guns were dragged toward Langholm with oxen.<ref>[[James Balfour Paul]], ''Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland'', vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1911), pp. 84-9784–97.</ref> Arran had an armoured "[[Jack of plate|jack]]" covered with purple taffeta, then changed his mind, choosing purple velvet.<ref>''Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland'', vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1911), pp. 97-9897–98.</ref> A Scottish spy, David Maitland, who signed himself "Ye Wait Quha" wrote of the preparations to [[Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton|Thomas Wharton]], that it was "the starkest host and the monest, and with the best order that wes sen Flodwn", that is, "the strongest host and most numerous, in the best order since Flodden."<ref>Joseph Bain, ''Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1547-15631547–1563'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 8: Amy Blakeway, 'Spies and Intelligence in Scotland', in Sara Butler & Krista Kesselring, ''Crossing Borders: Boundaries and Margins in Medieval and Early Modern Britain'' (Leiden, 2018), pp. 95-9695–96: See Arran's household book, National Records of Scotland, E31/9 ff. 57-5957–59.</ref>

In September 1547 Arran assembled a large Scottish army to resist an English invasion led by [[Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset]] but was defeated at the [[battle of Pinkie]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911a}} He was forced to abandon some of his clothes at the battlefield.<ref>James Balfour Paul, ''Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland'', vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1911), p. 140.</ref> He nevertheless held onto the regency and continued to lead forces against the occupying troops. For two weeks in February 1548, Arran led a campaign in [[Teviotdale]] with [[André de Montalembert|Monsieur d'Essé]] to recapture [[Ferniehirst Castle]] and punish borderers. He held discussions at [[Jedburgh]] with [[Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon]] over the site and financing of a new fort.<ref>[[Annie Cameron]], ''Scottish Correspondence of Mary of Lorraine'' (SHS: Edinburgh, 1927), pp. 289-290289–290.</ref>

Arran reluctantly agreed in July 1548 to Mary's marriage to [[Francis II of France|Francis]], eldest son of King [[Henry II of France]]. Henry II rewarded him by making him [[Duke of Châtellerault]] on 8 February 1549 and a knight of the [[Order of Saint Michael]].{{sfn|Paul|1907|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04paul/page/367/ 367, line 25]|ps=: "On 8 February 1548-15491548–1549 the duchy of Chatelherault was granted to the earl and his heirs."}}{{Sfn|Chisholm|1911a}}

On 19 April 1550, Regent Arran and his [[Privy Council of Scotland|Privy Council]] made legislation about foodstuffs and rising prices. The people of Scotland were to reduce their diets and banqueting. Prices were set for wild birds and rabbits, swans would be 5 shillings, plovers 5 pence. River birds including herons and ducks were to be caught by hawking. It was forbidden to shoot deer or birds for the table with "half hag or culverin or pistolate". These acts were ratified by Parliament.<ref>[[John Hill Burton]], ''Register of the Privy Council'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1877), pp. 94-9594–95.</ref>

Châtellerault died at Hamilton on 22 January 1575.{{Sfn|Paul|1907|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04paul/page/368/ 368, line 28]|ps=: "... died at Hamilton on 22 January 1574-15751574–1575."}} He was succeeded by his eldest son James as the 3rd Earl of Arran. However, as James was insane, John his younger brother stood in for him.

|{{Age|1519|8 Feb 1549}}||1549, 8 Feb||Created '''Duke of Châtellerault''' by [[Henry II of France]]{{Sfn|Paul|1907|p=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04paul/page/367/ 367, line 25]|ps=: "On 8 February 1548-15491548–1549 the duchy of Chatelherault was granted to the earl and his heirs."}}

|{{Age|1519|24 Jul 1567}}||''1567, 24 Jul''||''Accession of [[James VI and I|King James VI of Scotland]], succeeding [[Mary, Queen of Scots|Queen Mary I]]''{{Sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofbritis0000unse/page/61/ 61, line 16]|ps=: "James VI ... acc. 24 Jul. 1567 ..."}}

{{chart top|Hamilton's relationship to the house of Stuart<ref>{{Harvnb|Warnicke|2006|p=xvi-xviixvi–xvii}}</ref>}}

* {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Arran, Earls of |volume=02 |editor-last=Chisholm |editor-first=Hugh |pages=642-644642–644 |date=1911a}}

* {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Hamilton (family) |volume=12 |editor-last=Chisholm |editor-first=Hugh |pages=878-879878–879 |date=1911b}} – for Walter FitzGilbert

* {{Cite journal |last=Dickinson |first=Gladys |date=1942 |title=Two Missions of Jacques de la Brosse |journal=Publications of the Scottish History Society |series=3 |volume=36 |pages=7-87–8 |url=https://archive.org/details/twomissionsofjac00dick/ |url-access=registration}}

* {{Cite encyclopedia |last=Dunlop |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Dunlop (historian) |editor-last=Lee |editor-first=Sidney |editor-link=Sidney Lee |date=1890 |title=Hamilton, James, second Earl of Arran and Duke of Châtelherault (d. 1575) |encyclopedia=[[Dictionary of National Biography]] |volume=XXIV |publisher=[[MacMillan and Co.]] |location=New York |pages=167-170167–170 |oclc=8544105 |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofnati25stepuoft/page/167/}} <!-- The URL contains the number 25, but the volume is 24. -->

* {{Cite encyclopedia |last=Merriman |first=Marcus |author-link=Marcus Merriman |editor1-last=Matthew |editor1-first=Colin |editor1-link=Colin Matthew |editor2-last=Harrison |editor2-first=Brian |editor2-link=Brian Harrison (historian) |date=2004 |title=Hamilton, James, second earl of Arran (c. 1519–1575) |encyclopedia=[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]] |volume=24 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=New York |pages=827-833827–833 |isbn=0-19-861374-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_0198613741/page/827/ |url-access=registration}}

* {{EB1911|wstitle=Arran, Earls of |volume=2 |pages=642-644642–644}}

* Melanie Schuessler Bond, ''Dressing the Scottish Court: 1543-15531543–1553'' (The Boydell Press: Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2019).

[[Category:Earls of Arran|202]]

[[Category:Heirs presumptive to the Scottish throne|James Hamilton]]