HAMILTON (George), earl of Orkney, and a brave
warrior, was the fifth son of William earl of Selkirk,
and early betook himself to the profession of arms.
Being made colonel in 1689-90, he distinguished him-
self by his bravery at the battle of the Boyne; and
soon after, at those of Aghrim, Steinkirk, and Landen,
and at the sieges of Athlone, Limerick, and Namur.
His eminent services in Ireland and Flanders, through
the whole course of that war, recommended him so
highly to king William III. that, in 1696, he ad-
vanced him to the dignity of a peer of Scotland, by
the title of earl of Orkney; and his lady, the sister of
Edward viscount Villiers, afterwards earl of Jersey,
had a grant made to her, under the great seal of Ire-
land, of almost all the private estates of the late king
James, of very considerable value.
Upon the accession of queen Anne to the throne,
he was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1702,
and the next year to that of lieutenant-general, and
was likewise made knight of the thistle. His lord-
ship afterwards served under the great duke of Marl-
borough; and contributed by his bravery and con-
duct to the glorious victories of Blenheim and Mal-
plaquet, and to the taking several of the towns in
Flanders.
In the beginning of 1710, his lordship, as one of
the 16 peers of Scotland, voted for the impeachment
of Dr Sacheverel; and the same year was sworn of
the privy-council, and made general of the foot in
Flanders. In 1712, he was made colonel of the royal
regiment of fusileers, and served in Flanders under
the duke of Ormond. In 1714, he was appointed
gentleman-extraordinary of the bed chamber to king
George I. and afterwards governor of Virginia. At
length
Hamlet length he was appointed constable, governor, and captain of Edinburgh castle, lord lieutenant of the county of Clydesdale, and field-marshal. He died at his house in Albemarle-street, in 1737.