HAMILTON, ROBERT THOMAS [SSNE 294]
- Surname
- HAMILTON
- First name
- ROBERT THOMAS
- Title/rank
- COLONEL, COMMANDANT
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Social status
- OFFICER
- Religion
- CATHOLIC
Text source
Robert Hamilton started off as a soldier in Eckstein's Cavalry in 1657. He was promoted to captain in Norway in 1658 and became either Major or colonel watchmaster in 1660. Hamilton's promotion continued and he made lieutenant colonel in 1661 due to a commendation by Charles II. He was also named a Knight of the Elephant the same year. In 1668, Frederik III ordered the Norwegian Statholder to pay 2000 daler of the armies money to Hamilton in advance of his wages. Hamilton later had a stroke and was allowed to go to England for hot baths. In 1670, He became commander of Kronborg Castle and was also appointed 'amtmand' of Lister the following year. At some point Hamilton raised a marine regiment of about 1,000 men for the navy at his own expense. These were still in service in the forces of Rigsadmiral Stenbock in 1679, although Hamilton himself died before that date and was still seeking payment in January 1677 from the 'rentkammer' or treasury. Hamilton is said to have died on the 16th of February 1677 in Norway and was buried at the King's cost in Copenhagen on the 7th of May.S Nygård, (ed), Fortegnelse over kongelige resolutioner gennem rentkammeret, 1660-1719, no.3234, January 1677; Meddelelser fra det Norske Rigsarchiv (3 vols., 1870-1933), I, p.161; O. Ovenstad, Militaerbiografier: Den Norske Haers Officerer (2. vols, Oslo, 1948), I, p.406; R. Fladby and G. Foslie (eds.), Norske Kongebrev (6 vols., Oslo, 1962), I, p.267; J.C.W. Hirsch and K. Hirsch (eds.), 'Fortegnelse over Dansk og Norske officerer med flere fra 1648 til 1814 (12 vols. compiled 1888-1907), IV, vol.3; D. Schnitler, Blade af Norges Krigshistorie (Christiania, 1895), pp.116 and 168; T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.89; G. Lind, Danish Data Archive 1573; T. Weilding, Eneveldets menn i Norge: Sivile sentralorganer og embetsmenn 1660-1814 (Oslo, 2000), p.186; A.F. Jensen, Kavaleriet: Norge 1200-1994, (Trandum, 1995), p.77.
Service record
- DENMARK-NORWAY, NORWEGIAN CAVALRY
- Arrived 1657-05-01, as CAPTAIN
- Departed 1670-12-31, as COLONEL
- Capacity COMMANDER, purpose MILITARY
- DENMARK-NORWAY, KRONBERG
- Arrived 1670-01-01, as COMMANDANT
- Departed 1677-02-16, as COMMANDANT
- Capacity COMMANDANT, purpose MILITARY
- DENMARK-NORWAY, LISTER, NORWAY
- Arrived 1671-01-01
- Departed 1677-02-16
- Capacity AMTMAND, GOVERNOR, purpose CIVIC