Lady Ann Cunningham

Last updated

The Marchioness of Hamilton
Anne Cuningham.jpg
Published on 1 November 1797, by J Herbert
Bornapprox 1580
Glencairn
Died1646
Hamilton
Known forLed a cavalry troop during the Battle of Berwick
Title Lady
Spouse James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton
ChildrenAnne Montgomerie, Countess of Eglinton
Margaret Lindsay, Countess of Crawford
Mary Douglas, Countess of Queensberry
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton
William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton
Parent(s) James Cunningham, 7th Earl of Glencairn
Margaret Campbell

Lady Anna (Anne) Cunningham, Marchioness of Hamilton (died 1646 [1] ) led a mixed-sex cavalry troop during the "Battle" of Berwick on 5 June 1639.

Contents

Background and family

Lady Anna was the fourth daughter of James Cunningham, 7th Earl of Glencairn and Margaret, daughter of Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, [1] a family noted for its early commitment to Protestantism. Her sister was the memoirist Lady Margaret Cunningham.

She married James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton on 30 January 1603. [2] They had two sons, James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton (1606–1649) and William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton (1616–1651) and three daughters, Lady Anne Hamilton (married Hugh, 7th Earl of Eglinton), Lady Margaret Hamilton (married John, Earl of Crawford and Lindsay) and Lady Mary Hamilton (died 1633, married James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Queensberry).

After her marriage, Ann managed the Hamilton estates, particularly when her husband was at court in London. She wrote account books in an italic hand, using a mixture of Arabic and Roman numerals. She made a payment to her writing teacher Mr John Queen. [3]

Historical importance

Her historical importance is as a defender of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland against Charles I attempts to convert the whole of Scotland to Anglicanism and her active leadership in the National Covenant resistance movement.

Her son, James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, had sided with Charles I. When he attempted to land an army on the Scottish Coast in 1639, she organised the defences, raised a cavalry troop, and "came forth with pistol which she vowed to discharge upon her son if he offered to come ashore." [1] [4] A correspondent of the time, Edward Norgate, wrote, "She goeth in armour and with a pistoll by her side readie charged, and wishes him there, saying shee would burie the bullets in his bowells." [5]

The cavalry rode under a banner showing a hand repelling a prayer book with the motto For God, the King, Religion and the Covenant. This was at the time of the Battle of Berwick on 5 June 1639. [1]

The struggle with Charles I led to the Scots' right to a free church assembly and a free parliament.

Her great-great-grandson was Sir William Hamilton the husband of Emma, Lady Hamilton who is best known as the mistress of Lord Nelson.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale</span> Scottish politician (1616-1682)

John Maitland, 1st Duke and 2nd Earl of Lauderdale, 3rd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane KG PC, was a Scottish politician and leader within the Cabal Ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton</span> 17th-century Scottish politician and peer

William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton KG was a Scottish nobleman who supported both Royalist and Presbyterian causes during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington</span> Scottish judge, administrator

Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington, designated before his peerage as 'of Drumcarny, Monkland, and Binning', was a Scottish administrator, Lord Advocate, judge, and Lord Lieutenant of Haddingtonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn</span> Scottish nobleman

William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn (1610–1664), was a Scottish nobleman, Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and a cavalier. He was also the chief of Clan Cunningham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton</span> Scottish peeress

Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton was a Scottish peeress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair</span> Scottish statesman

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair was a Scottish statesman who was created Baron Stewart of Traquair in 1628 and Earl of Traquair in 1633.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary of Guelders</span> Queen consort and regent of Scotland

Mary of Guelders was Queen of Scotland by marriage to King James II of Scotland. She ruled as regent of Scotland from 1460 to 1463.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale</span> Scottish nobleman (1645–1713)

John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale PC was a Scottish nobleman.

John Hamilton, 2nd Lord Bargany, was a Scottish peer whose family fortunes were deeply implicated in the struggles over Presbyterianism and the Church of England during the Interregnum and the Monmouth Rebellion. He was accused of treason and cleared of charges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton</span>

George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton was a notable Royalist and Cavalier, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes</span> Scottish nobleman

John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman, one of the main leaders of the Covenanters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree</span>

Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree fought for the Scottish Reformation. His daughter married John Knox and he played a part in the defeat of Mary, Queen of Scots at the battle of Langside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton</span> Scottish nobleman and military leader

James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, KG, PC, known as the 3rd Marquess of Hamilton from March 1625 until April 1643, was a Scottish nobleman and influential political and military leader during the Thirty Years' War and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

Anne Crawford-Lindsay, Duchess of Rothes, was the daughter of John Lindsay, 1st Earl of Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford, lord high treasurer of Scotland and Lady Margaret Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington</span> Scottish nobleman (1600–1640)

Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington was a Scottish nobleman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Montgomerie, 6th Earl of Eglinton</span> Scottish aristocrat and soldier (1588–1661)

Alexander Montgomerie, 6th Earl of Eglinton was a Scottish aristocrat and soldier, originally known as Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther.

Lady Margaret Cunningham was a Scottish memoirist and correspondent, the daughter of James Cunningham, 7th Earl of Glencairn (1552–1630) and his first wife Margaret, daughter of Colin Campbell of Glenorchy. She was a keen Protestant and opponent of "that most detestable idollatrie of the papists". Her sister was Lady Ann Cunningham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford</span> Scottish nobleman (c. 1598–1679)

John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford, 1st Earl of Lindsay was a Scottish nobleman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Hay, Countess of Winton</span>

Anna Hay, Countess of Winton (1592-1628) was a Scottish courtier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Seton</span>

Margaret Seton, Lady Paisley was a Scottish aristocrat, courtier and a favourite of Anne of Denmark.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rosalind K. Marshall, "Cunningham, Anna , marchioness of Hamilton (d. 1647)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 15 Oct 2017
  2. ↑ "WebCite query result". webcitation.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2017.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  3. ↑ Rosalind K. Marshall, Virgins and Viragos: A History of Women in Scotland (Collins, 1983), p. 129.
  4. ↑ A Historical Dictionary of British Women, eds Cathy Hartley and Susan Leckey (Routledge, 2003) ISBN   978-1-85743-228-2
  5. ↑ HMC 6th Report: Hood (London, 1877), p. 347.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.