William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton

William Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
after Adriaen Hanneman, 1625-1650
Predecessor	James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton
Successor	Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton
Spouse(s)	Lady Elizabeth Maxwell
Father	James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton
Mother	Lady Ann Cunningham
Born	14 December 1616 Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Died	12 September 1651 The Commandery, Worcester
Buried	Worcester Cathedral

William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton KG (14 December 1616 – 12 September 1651) was a Scottish nobleman who supported both Royalist and Presbyterian causes during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

Hamilton was born at Hamilton Palace in December 1616, the younger son of James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton and Lady Ann Cunningham. Hamilton was educated at the University of Glasgow, and from there travelled to The Continent, where he spent time at the court of Louis XIII of France, on his return aged 21 he established himself as a favourite at the court of Charles I in London.

He was created Earl of Lanark, Lord Machanshyre and Polmont in the Peerage of Scotland in 1639, and in April 1640 was elected Member of Parliament for Portsmouth in the House of Commons of England for the Short Parliament. He became Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1643, he was arrested at Oxford on the orders of King Charles I for "concurrence" with his brother the Duke of Hamilton. He escaped and was temporarily reconciled with the Presbyterian party.

After taking part in the Battle of Kilsyth on the covenanter side, he was sent by the Scottish Estates of the Realm to treat with Charles I at Newcastle in 1646, when he sought in vain to persuade the king to consent to the establishment of Presbyterianism in England. On 26 September 1647 he signed, on behalf of the Scots, the treaty with Charles known as the "Engagement", at Carisbrooke Castle, and helped to organise the Second English Civil War.