Frederick Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Sir Frederick Hamilton (1590–1647) was the youngest son of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
. He was given lands in Leitrim
, in the northwest of Ireland in 1622.
Over the next two decades he increased his estate to 18,000 acres (73 km²) and built Manorhamilton Castle around which grew the town of Manorhamilton.
In November 1631, Sir Frederick entered Swedish service and became colonel of a Scottish-Irish regiment which served in Germany for 15 months. They fought General Tott's army in the Elbe
and Weser basins and the Rhineland
. After spending a few years back in Leitrim he unsuccessfully attempted to re-enter Swedish service in September 1637.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1641
, Manorhamilton came under constant siege, but the castle remained intact. After the 1643 Cessation he became a colonel of a regiment of horse in the army of the Solemn League and Covenant
in Scotland and Northern England, while still retaining his foot regiment in western Ulster.
In 1642, in punishment for cattle raids by the O'Rourke clan, he sacked the nearby town of Sligo, burning several buildings to the ground, including Sligo Abbey
. He then retreated back to manorhamilton.
Local legend tells that on the way over the mountains to Manorhamilton, some of Hamilton's men became lost in heavy fog. A guide on a white horse offered to lead them safely over the mountain, but intentionally led the men over a cliff and to their doom. This legend is the subject of a short story by W. B. Yeats, entitled The curse Of The Fires And Of The Shadows
In 1647, Sir Frederick left the then disbanding Scottish army and returned to Edinburgh, where he died later that year in relative poverty. He had lost all his estates in Ireland and received very little compensation or financial support for his military efforts from the English parliament. His youngest son Gustavus
was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
as Viscount Boyne
.
Manorhamilton Castle was burned by the Royalist Earls of Clanrickard in 1652. It was used as a garrison for some time afterwards before being abandoned and quickly falling into ruins. The Castle ruins have now been renovated and are open to the public who can view artefacts from the period in the Castle Heritage Centre or take a guided tour of the grounds.
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley was a Scottish politician. He was a younger son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. In 1553, he received the lands of the abbey of Paisley...
. He was given lands in Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, in the northwest of Ireland in 1622.
Over the next two decades he increased his estate to 18,000 acres (73 km²) and built Manorhamilton Castle around which grew the town of Manorhamilton.
In November 1631, Sir Frederick entered Swedish service and became colonel of a Scottish-Irish regiment which served in Germany for 15 months. They fought General Tott's army in the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
and Weser basins and the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
. After spending a few years back in Leitrim he unsuccessfully attempted to re-enter Swedish service in September 1637.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
, Manorhamilton came under constant siege, but the castle remained intact. After the 1643 Cessation he became a colonel of a regiment of horse in the army of the Solemn League and Covenant
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
in Scotland and Northern England, while still retaining his foot regiment in western Ulster.
In 1642, in punishment for cattle raids by the O'Rourke clan, he sacked the nearby town of Sligo, burning several buildings to the ground, including Sligo Abbey
Sligo Abbey
Sligo Abbey , a ruined abbey in Sligo, Ireland, was originally built in 1253 by the order of Maurice Fitzgerald, Baron of Offaly. It was destroyed in 1414 by a fire, ravaged during the Tyrone War in 1595 and once more in 1641 during the Ulster Uprising...
. He then retreated back to manorhamilton.
Local legend tells that on the way over the mountains to Manorhamilton, some of Hamilton's men became lost in heavy fog. A guide on a white horse offered to lead them safely over the mountain, but intentionally led the men over a cliff and to their doom. This legend is the subject of a short story by W. B. Yeats, entitled The curse Of The Fires And Of The Shadows
The Curse of the Fires and of the Shadows
The Curse of the Fires and of the Shadows is a short story by the poet William Butler Yeats, retelling an old legend about the death of some of the soldiers of Sir Frederick Hamilton after the burning of Sligo Abbey in 1642....
In 1647, Sir Frederick left the then disbanding Scottish army and returned to Edinburgh, where he died later that year in relative poverty. He had lost all his estates in Ireland and received very little compensation or financial support for his military efforts from the English parliament. His youngest son Gustavus
Gustavus Hamilton, 1st Viscount Boyne
Gustavus Hamilton, 1st Viscount Boyne PC was an Irish peer, soldier and politician.-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...
was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
as Viscount Boyne
Viscount Boyne
Viscount Boyne, in the province of Leinster, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1717 for the Scottish military commander Gustavus Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Stackallan. He had already been created Baron Hamilton of Stackallan, in the County of Meath in 1715, also in the...
.
Manorhamilton Castle was burned by the Royalist Earls of Clanrickard in 1652. It was used as a garrison for some time afterwards before being abandoned and quickly falling into ruins. The Castle ruins have now been renovated and are open to the public who can view artefacts from the period in the Castle Heritage Centre or take a guided tour of the grounds.