Duke of Hamilton

Comprehensive Aktualizováno: 2025-07-04

Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-07-04 Diary Coverage: Up to 1874-08-31

Identity and Background

The Duke of Hamilton mentioned in Marie Bashkirtseff's diary is likely William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton (1845-1895). He was a Scottish nobleman who held multiple titles including:

12th Duke of Hamilton
9th Duke of Brandon
2nd Duke of Châtellerault (French peerage)
Hereditary Keeper of the Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Hamilton family was one of the most prestigious in Scotland, with royal connections dating back centuries. Their seat was Hamilton Palace in Lanarkshire, Scotland, which Marie references in her March 8, 1873 entry when she finds information about "the beautiful castle of the Duke of Hamilton" in Bouillet's dictionary.

Wealth and Lifestyle

Marie repeatedly refers to the Duke's immense wealth and aristocratic lifestyle. In her diary, she mentions:

His yacht (March 4, 1873)
His participation in pigeon shooting competitions
His elegant appearance and noble bearing
His residence at either the Hotel de la Grande-Bretagne or Hotel d'Angleterre in Nice

The Duke was indeed known for his extravagant lifestyle. The Hamilton family was among the wealthiest in Britain, with extensive landholdings and valuable art collections. The Duke was a noted sportsman and yachtsman, consistent with Marie's descriptions.

Relationship with "Gioia"

In Marie's diary, the Duke is frequently associated with a woman named Gioia, whom Marie envies and resents. The identity of this woman is unclear from historical records, but she may have been:

1. A mistress or romantic interest 2. A society woman in Nice 3. Possibly Lady Mary Montagu, whom the Duke married in 1873

Marie suggests that the Duke's relationship with Gioia is not based on genuine love but rather on convenience, writing on March 4, 1873: "I believe he doesn't love her, but he prefers to be free, to have a wife since it's necessary for chic, horses, a wife, pigeon shooting."

Historical Context

During the 1870s, Nice was a popular winter resort for European aristocracy and wealthy families, particularly British and Russian. The presence of figures like the Duke of Hamilton was common during the winter social season.

The Duke's participation in activities like pigeon shooting competitions was typical of aristocratic leisure pursuits of the era. These competitions were major social events that attracted the elite from across Europe.

Marie's Obsession

The Duke becomes the primary object of Marie's romantic fantasies throughout her diary. Her fixation on him reveals several aspects of her character and worldview:

1. Her social ambitions and desire to marry into the highest aristocracy 2. Her strategic thinking about how to attract his attention 3. Her class consciousness and valuation of titles and wealth 4. Her tendency toward romantic idealization

Marie never actually meets or speaks with the Duke, observing him only from a distance. When she learns of his departure from Nice in early March 1873, she is devastated but quickly formulates a new plan to attract his attention through becoming a celebrated singer.

Continuing Obsession (1874)

Marie's obsession with the Duke of Hamilton continues throughout 1874, even after learning of his marriage. Notable developments include:

August 1874 - Ostende

During her stay in Ostende, Marie's fixation intensifies:

She questions a Scottish girl (Miss Foster's companion) about the Duke on August 25, 1874
Learns his wife is "not at all pretty, but she is very wild"
Hears accounts of the Duke racing with peasants on the Isle of Arran, which belongs to him
The Scottish girl confirms "his wife is as mad as he is"

Emotional Impact

Marie's diary reveals the depth of her continued obsession:

August 17: Her aunt mentions rumors that "Hamilton's wife is dead," causing Marie to smile and think despite knowing it's nonsense
August 25: She experiences what she questions might be "true love" - feeling it only when she has "seen, or spoken of, or thought of the Duke"
Unable to sleep, she writes "His Grace the Duke of Hamilton" on paper to place under her pillow (following Lise's advice for dreaming of someone)
Falls asleep "smiling, crying and raging" over her feelings

References and Associations

August 11: In Brussels, anticipates seeing "something that reminds me of Hamilton"
August 17: During Wheelwright's racing accident, notes it occurred on a descent "like where Carlo Hamilton fell" (possibly a relative or the Duke himself using a racing name)

Later Life

While not mentioned in Marie's diary entries from this period, the Duke of Hamilton married Lady Mary Montagu in 1873, the same year as these diary entries. He later developed serious health problems related to alcoholism and died in 1895 at age 50.

Hamilton Palace, which so impressed Marie in her reading, was demolished in the 1920s due to structural problems caused by nearby mining.

%% 2025-04-05T19:40:10 RSR: This glossary entry provides historical context about the Duke of Hamilton who features prominently in Marie Bashkirtseff's diary. While Marie never actually meets the Duke, he becomes the object of her romantic fantasies and social ambitions. The entry identifies him as likely being William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton (1845-1895), and provides information about his background, wealth, and lifestyle that helps contextualize Marie's fascination with him. The entry also notes that the Duke married Lady Mary Montagu in 1873, the same year as these diary entries, though Marie seems unaware of this development in the entries we've processed so far. %%

%% 2025-07-04T11:55:00 RSR: Updated to include Marie's continuing obsession with the Duke throughout 1874, particularly her emotional episodes in Ostende where she questions whether her feelings constitute "true love" and performs a dream ritual with his written name. The entry now covers her investigation of his wife through the Scottish girl and her reaction to false rumors of the Duchess's death. %%