House of Hamilton ruling over Britain

So, something I've long pondered, what would the consequences be if James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran had not gone insane, and through some luck of the draw had ended up either married to Mary Queen of Scots or Elizabeth Tudor. Would he have been able to protect either of his wives, and would he cope with the stress? Long term, could he perhaps establish a Royal House of Hamilton
 
I think Mary Queen of Scots is a better bet, to get him married to Liz you'd need to overcome her whole baggage regarding marriage.

You could also get him on the Scottish throne outright by killing off Mary without issue, or perhaps James during his childhood. From there they could then find some way or other to inveigle their way into England.
 
I think Mary Queen of Scots is a better bet, to get him married to Liz you'd need to overcome her whole baggage regarding marriage.

You could also get him on the Scottish throne outright by killing off Mary without issue, or perhaps James during his childhood. From there they could then find some way or other to inveigle their way into England.

This is very true, Mary it is then, and this is also true, could they try getting him married off to a Grey cousin of Elizabeth's?
 
Possibly. Though it depends on who is ruling in England and whether they're amenable to such a match.

Liz was obviously very jittery about the succession, and didn't react well to the Grey sisters marrying IOTL (and I think she was angry at the Darnley-Mary marriage too), so I can't really see her arranging such a match.
 
Possibly. Though it depends on who is ruling in England and whether they're amenable to such a match.

Liz was obviously very jittery about the succession, and didn't react well to the Grey sisters marrying IOTL (and I think she was angry at the Darnley-Mary marriage too), so I can't really see her arranging such a match.

very true, do you think their best bet would be to have James married to Mary and then have them have issue, and perhaps wait for Liz to die to take the throne or try and take charge first through political machinations?
 
Probably. But if Mary rules throughout her life she'd presumably want to raise their kids Catholic (unless you find some way to radically change her personality), and that might make things difficult in England if Liz's reign is comparable to OTL.

Maybe if Mary dies young, and then James as regent is religiously flexible enough to raise the kid Protestant (perhaps with an eye on the English throne)?
 
Probably. But if Mary rules throughout her life she'd presumably want to raise their kids Catholic (unless you find some way to radically change her personality), and that might make things difficult in England if Liz's reign is comparable to OTL.

Maybe if Mary dies young, and then James as regent is religiously flexible enough to raise the kid Protestant (perhaps with an eye on the English throne)?

Very true, perhaps if Mary dies in the late 1560s? Would James rule as King n his own right, or would he merely be regent for his son?
 
That might depend on if he (unlike Darnley) manages to leverage the Crown Matrimonial.

But I imagine the Scottish lords would prefer a child on the throne (with his father as regent trying desperately to keep things under control) rather than an adult male king.

Might depend on whether James + father and brothers + friends and allies can swing enough support to get him the throne in his own right.

Though it's possible James would still crumble under pressure (but not go outright insane) and not prove a very effective king anyway.
 
That might depend on if he (unlike Darnley) manages to leverage the Crown Matrimonial.

But I imagine the Scottish lords would prefer a child on the throne (with his father as regent trying desperately to keep things under control) rather than an adult male king.

Might depend on whether James + father and brothers + friends and allies can swing enough support to get him the throne in his own right.

Though it's possible James would still crumble under pressure (but not go outright insane) and not prove a very effective king anyway.

Hmm this is very true, would his brother have a better short and manouvering things into his favour? I could see his father definitely making inroads for his son.
 
Hmm this is very true, would his brother have a better short and manouvering things into his favour? I could see his father definitely making inroads for his son.

Was it his brother who managed to buddy up to James VI IOTL? Because that could indicate some level of charm or ability to win people over.
 
Was it his brother who managed to buddy up to James VI IOTL? Because that could indicate some level of charm or ability to win people over.

I think it was yeah, it was indeed. John Hamilton so charmed James VI when they met tht the King raised him to the privy council and became a Marquess also
 
James was proposed as a match for Elizabeth in 1558 to firm up the agreed alliance with England by the reforming Scots Parliament (he and his father were both Protestant at this point) it was favoured by quite a few people (Elizabeth formally rejected him in December 1560). It was considered unlikely to succeed however i think if a rumour that Mary Stuart was pregnant and extra pressure on Elizabeth it might have been possible but its a very very narrow window.
After Mary was widowed he was again proposed as a possible husband for her but by then he was certainly a strong member of the Lords of Congregation so little to attract the Queen to him at that point but never say never lol.
 
James was proposed as a match for Elizabeth in 1558 to firm up the agreed alliance with England by the reforming Scots Parliament (he and his father were both Protestant at this point) it was favoured by quite a few people (Elizabeth formally rejected him in December 1560). It was considered unlikely to succeed however i think if a rumour that Mary Stuart was pregnant and extra pressure on Elizabeth it might have been possible but its a very very narrow window.
After Mary was widowed he was again proposed as a possible husband for her but by then he was certainly a strong member of the Lords of Congregation so little to attract the Queen to him at that point but never say never lol.

Lol true, could his brother John be considered as a match for her? Especially if James were to suffer an accident?
 
John gained guardianship of the family estates after his father's death and remained loyal to Queen Mary despite her overthrow - possibly one reason James VI forgave him and restored him to his estates. He is a possible alternative he didn't marry until the late 1570s in otl
 
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