George Douglas of Longniddry (floruit 1580-1610) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.
He was the son of Francis Douglas of Borg and Elizabeth Fairlie. His father's tutor was
John Knox
John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
Born in Giffordgat ...
, and he joined Knox in
St Andrews Castle in 1547.
The lands of this branch of the Douglas family were at
Longniddry in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
. Hugh Douglas of Longniddry, his uncle, became a supporter of pro-english policy during the war of the
Rough Wooing. When the English army came to Longniddry before the
battle of Pinkie in September 1547, the
Duke of Somerset heard that Hugh's pregnant wife in the house and ordered her to be protected from looters, although
William Patten said some of the soldiers from the north of England ignored the order. In November 1547 Hugh Douglas wrote to the Duke of Somerset offering support. When Somerset captured
Hailes Castle in February 1548 he made Hugh Douglas its keeper. Their castle at Longniddry was probably demolished on the orders of the governor,
Regent Arran. In August 1548 Hugh Douglas was reconciled with Arran, and Arran slighted Hailes by removing the
yetts so the English could not garrison the place.
In 1564
Lord Seton and
William Maitland of Lethington disputed the affairs of Francis Douglas of Longniddry. Seton hurt Longniddry. The
Earl of Morton sided with Lethington and the Laird of Longniddry.
George Douglas was in Denmark with
James VI in 1590. He became a servant of
Anne of Denmark, wife of James VI.
In July 1594 he was sent to England with
Richard Cockburn of Clerkington
Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, Lord Clerkintoun (1565–1627) was a senior government official in Scotland serving as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland during the reign of James VI.Anderson, William, ''The Scottish Nation; or the Surnames, F ...
and James Bellenden to ask
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to:
Queens regnant
* Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland
* Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
for
sudsidy money. He returned to Edinburgh on 19 August and told the English ambassador
Robert Bowes that he had seen wagons with presents for the
baptism of Prince Henry at
Berwick-upon-Tweed. James VI sent to him meet the
Earl of Sussex on the road and request that he would hurry up.
In September 1594 he was a captain of horsemen in the army sent to the north of Scotland against the rebel earls. He carried a letter from Anne of Denmark, who was ill at
Linlithgow Palace
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although mai ...
, to the king at
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
in July 1595.
[Annie I. Cameron, ''Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1593-1595'', vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 443-4, 651.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, George
Household of Anne of Denmark
People from East Lothian
16th-century Scottish people