Henning Hamilton

Count Henning Ludvig Hugo Hamilton (16 January 1814 – 15 January 1886) was a Swedish count, politician, government official and author. His father was Gustaf Wathier Hamilton. Today he is perhaps best remembered for the so-called Hamilton scandal. Career Born in Stockholm, Hamilton received his education at Uppsala University and became second lieutenant of the Svea Artillery Regiment in 1829. After a study trip to the continent in 1835, he worked as a teacher of topography and fortification in 1837 at the military academy (today's Military Academy Karlberg), taught military tactics and regulations at the school for line officers in Stockholm from 1837 to 1843 and was a lieutenant in the Topographical Corps from 1839 and its captain from 1845. From 1839 to 1844, he was secretary of the Academy of War Sciences and was chamberlain first to Crown Princess Josephine (1841–1843), then to Princes Charles and Gustaf during their studies in Uppsala in 1844–1845. In 1847, he accompanied the royals on their travels in Denmark and Germany and in the same year became a major in the army and chief of staff of the Life Guards and also accompanied the crown prince on his engagement trip to the Netherlands. Hamilton was interested in politics from a young age, and from 1840 he took part in the Riksdag of the Estates, as chairman of the Appropriations Committee (1840 and 1847), as a member of the State Committee (1844) and of the Representation Committee appointed by His Majesty (1846–1847). In 1850, Hamilton was appointed lieutenant colonel in the army, and in 1851 he was commissioned and in 1852 appointed county governor of Östergötland County. When Gustaf Sparre was appointed Prime Minister for Justice in April 1848, Hamilton took his place as lord marshal for the remainder of the Riksdag. With sharpness and diligence, Hamilton led the conservative opposition to the government's representation proposal alongside in the following parliaments. When Harmansdorff presented his sensational representation proposal at the 1850–1851 Riksdag, it was Hamilton who, on behalf of the Junker Party, pledged his faith and obedience to the old party leader, which led to his political isolation. From 1853 to 1854 and 1856 to 1858, Hamilton was once again lord marshal. In September 1857, Crown Prince Charles took over the government as Oscar I became increasingly ill.