Person:George Hamilton (43)

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George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, KT (9 February 1666 – 29 January 1737), styled Lord George Hamilton from 1666 to 1696, was a British soldier and Scottish nobleman and the first British Army officer to be promoted to the rank of field marshal. After commanding a regiment for the cause of William of Orange during the Williamite War in Ireland, he commanded a regiment in the Low Countries during the Nine Years' War. He then led the final assault at the Battle of Blenheim attacking the village churchyard with eight battalions of men and then receiving the surrender of its French defenders during the War of the Spanish Succession. He also led the charge of fifteen infantry battalions in an extremely bloody assault on the French entrenchments at the Battle of Malplaquet. In later life, he became a Lord of the Bedchamber to George I and was installed as Governor of Edinburgh Castle.

Hamilton, George, Earl of Orkney, governor-in-chief of Virginia from 1697 to his death in 1737, never residing in the colony, but enjoying his office as a pensionary sinecure for forty years; was fifth sone of William, Earl of Selkirk, who became Duke of Hamilton. He was born at Hamilton Palace, Lanark, and was baptized there February 9, 1666. He had a long and distinguished carreer in the British army, and was present at the battles of the Boyne, Anghrim, Steinkirk, Benheim and Oudenard, and at the seiges of Limerick, Athlone, Namur, Stevensvaert, Menin and Tournay. he was made colonel of the Royal Foot, August 3, 1692, major-general March 9, 1702, and lieutenant-general June 1, 1704. On January 10, 1696, Hamilton was created Earl of Orkney, and in 1697 became titular governor of Virginia, drawing a salary, but not performing any duties. On February 12, 1707, he was sworn of the privy council, and the same year was appointed general of the Foot in Flanders. He was likewise appointed afterwards constable, governor, and captain of Edinburgh Castle, lord lieutenant of the county of Clydesdale, and on June 12, 1736, field marshal of "all of his majesty's force." On November 25, 1695, he married his cousin, Elizabeth Villiers, the well known mistress of William III., and from this marriage the present Earl of Orkney is descended. Orkney was no military strategist, and was not very successful when first in command, but he was an admirable subordinate. He died at his residence in Albemarle street, London on January 29, 1737, and was buried at Taplow, and September 6 of that year was succeeded as governor-in-chief of Virginia by the Earl of Albemarle.