Clan Douglas is an ancient
clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
or noble house from the
Scottish Lowlands
The Lowlands ( sco, Lallans or ; gd, a' Ghalldachd, , place of the foreigners, ) is a cultural and historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Lowlands and the Highlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowl ...
.
Taking their name from
Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...
in
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the
Borders
A border is a geographical boundary.
Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film
* ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...
,
Angus
Angus may refer to:
Media
* ''Angus'' (film), a 1995 film
* ''Angus Og'' (comics), in the ''Daily Record''
Places Australia
* Angus, New South Wales
Canada
* Angus, Ontario, a community in Essa, Ontario
* East Angus, Quebec
Scotland
* An ...
,
Lothian
Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sco ...
,
Moray
Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.
Between 1975 ...
, and also in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. The family is one of the most ennobled in the United Kingdom and has held numerous titles.
The Douglases were one of Scotland's most powerful families,
[Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The ]Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC) is the organisation that represents the Chiefs of many prominent Scottish Clans and Families. It describes itself as "the definitive and authoritative body for information on the Scottish Clan System ...
). pp. 384 – 385. and certainly the most prominent family in lowland
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
during the
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the Periodization, period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Eur ...
, often holding the real power behind the throne of the Stewart Kings . The heads of the House of Douglas held the titles of the
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the forfeit title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, so ...
(Black Douglas) and later the
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish Provinces of Scotland, province of Angus, Scotland, Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldes ...
(Red Douglas).
The clan does not currently have a
chief recognised by the
Lord Lyon. The principal Douglas today is the
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
, but as his surname is "Douglas-Hamilton" rather than simply "Douglas" the laws of the
Lyon Court
The Court of the Lord Lyon (the Lyon Court) is a standing Courts of Scotland, court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of coat of arms, arms, kno ...
prevent him from assuming the
chiefship of the name.
The original ''caput'' of the family was
Douglas Castle
Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas (later Douglas-Home) family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large man ...
in
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
. The Kirk of St Bride at Douglas, along with
Melrose Abbey
St Mary's Abbey, Melrose is a partly ruined monastery of the Cistercian order in Melrose, Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland and was the chief house of ...
and the
Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés holds the remains of many of the Earls of Douglas and Angus.
The Swedish branch is descended from Field Marshal
Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge
Robert Douglas (17 March 1611 – 28 May 1662), Count of Skenninge, Baron of Skalby, was a Scottish cavalry general during the Thirty Years' War rising to the rank of Field Marshal (1657–1662) in the Swedish-Polish wars that followed. He ...
, and has been one of Sweden's most prominent noble families since the 17th century.
["Grevliga ätten Douglas, N:o 19," in ''Sveriges ridderskaps och adels kalender 2013'', ]Riddarhuset
The House of Nobility ( sv, Riddarhuset) in Stockholm, Sweden, is a corporation and a building that maintains records and acts as an interest group on behalf of the Swedish nobility.
Name
The name is literally translated as ''House of Knights' ...
, 2013
History
Origins
In modern texts, the family's surname is thought to derive from the village of Douglas, the name of which comes from the Gaelic elements ''dubh'', meaning "dark, black"; and ''glas'', meaning "stream" (in turn from
Old Gaelic
Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...
''dub'' and ''glais'').
[. This website cites: . See also: . See also: . See also: ] However, according to the 17th century historian Frederic van Bossen, the Douglas name means "gray hairs in the old language", and it was first given to a Lord Shulton, who lived in the 8th century. Frederic van Bossen states Lord Shulton was a descendant of Adrolena of Shaultow who was a descendant of the Princes of Caledonia.
[''Frederic van Bossen, The Royall Cedar'', p.56][''Derek Cunningham, The Lost Queens of Scotland Extracts from Frederic van Bossen’s The Royal Cedar'', p.78][''Derek Cunningham, The Lost Queens of Scotland Extracts from Frederic van Bossen’s The Royal Cedar'', p.82]
In 1179
William Douglas was Lord of Douglas, he is the first certain record of the name Douglas and undoubtedly the ancestor of the family. He witnessed a charter between 1175 and 1199 by the
Bishop of Glasgow
The Archbishop of Glasgow is an archiepiscopal title that takes its name after the city of Glasgow in Scotland. The position and title were abolished by the Church of Scotland in 1689; and, in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is now part of th ...
to the monks of Kelso.
His grandson, also
Sir William de Douglas had two sons who fought at the
Battle of Largs
The Battle of Largs (2 October 1263) was a battle between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde near Largs, Scotland. Through it, Scotland achieved the end of 500 years of Norse Viking depredations and invasions despite bei ...
in 1263 against the
Norsemen
The Norsemen (or Norse people) were a North Germanic ethnolinguistic group of the Early Middle Ages, during which they spoke the Old Norse language. The language belongs to the North Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages and is the pre ...
.
One old tradition is that the first chief of Douglas was
Sholto Douglas
Sholto Douglas was the mythical progenitor of Clan Douglas, a powerful and warlike family in medieval Scotland.
A mythical battle took place: "in 767, between King '' Solvathius'' rightful king of Scotland and a pretender ''Donald Bane''. The vic ...
who helped the king of Scotland win a battle in the year 767. This is not substantiated and likely to be
pseudohistory
Pseudohistory is a form of pseudoscholarship that attempts to distort or misrepresent the historical record, often by employing methods resembling those used in scholarly historical research. The related term cryptohistory is applied to pseudohist ...
.
[Hewitson, Jim. (1997). ''The Douglases''. .][Maxwell, Herbert Eustace, Sir, bart, 1845–1937. (1902). ''A history of the house of Douglas from the earliest times down to the legislative union of England and Scotland''.]
The true progenitor of Clan Douglas was probably "Theobaldus Flammatius" (Theobald the Fleming), who in 1147 received the lands near
Douglas Water in Lanarkshire in return for services for the
Abbot of Kelso
The Abbot of Kelso (later Commendator of Kelso) was the head of the Tironensian monastic community at Kelso Abbey in the Scottish Borders. The Abbey was originally founded at Selkirk in 1113 by David, Prince of the Cumbrians (r. 1113–1124), and ...
, who held the barony and lordship of
Holydean.
The Douglas family names consisted of Arkenbald and Freskin, and were believed to be related to the
Clan Murray
Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
, believed to be descended from a Flemish knight called
Freskin
Freskin (died before 1171) was a Flemish nobleman who settled in Scotland during the reign of King David I, becoming the progenitor of the Murray and Sutherland families, and possibly others.
Origins
Freskin was said to have come to the Lowlands ...
.
[''The Kingdom of the Scots'', p.329] It seems likely that he was the father of the first William Douglas.
However the Flemish origin of the Douglases has been disputed, it has been claimed that the lands which were granted to Theobald the Fleming were not the lands from which the Douglas family later emerged.
DouglasCastle01.jpg, Ruin of Douglas Castle
Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas (later Douglas-Home) family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large man ...
, South Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
Douglas Water Downstream of Douglasmouth Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 284159.jpg, Douglas Water (''dubh glass'', the ''dark stream'')
Arms of de Moravia of Bothwell.svg, Clan Murray
Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
coat of arms
Douglas Arms 1.svg, Original coat of arms of Clan Douglas
Douglas Arms 2.svg, Coat of arms of Clan Douglas from 1330, with the ''Heart of King Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
''
Wars of Scottish Independence
![William le hardi seal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/William_le_hardi_seal.jpg)
During the
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
,
Sir William Douglas the Hardy, Lord of Douglas was governor of
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
when the town and
Berwick Castle
Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.
History
The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...
were besieged by the English.
Douglas was captured and was released only after he had agreed to accept the claim of the
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
to be overlord of Scotland.
He subsequently joined
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.
Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
in fighting for Scottish independence, but was captured and taken to England, where he died in 1298, a prisoner in the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
.
The "Good" Sir James Douglas or "Black Douglas"
William Le Hardi's son,
James Douglas, "The Good Sir James" (c. 1286–1330), was the first to acquire the epithet "the Black". He shared in the early misfortunes of
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
and in the defeats at
Methven and
Dalrigh in 1306. But for both men these setbacks provided a valuable lesson in tactics: limitations in both resources and equipment meant that the Scots would always be at a disadvantage in conventional medieval warfare.
By the time the fighting flared up again in the spring of 1307 they had learned the value of guerrilla warfare – known at the time as "secret war" – using fast-moving, lightly equipped and agile forces to maximum effect against an enemy often dependent on static defensive positions.
Sir James Douglas recaptured
Roxburgh Castle
Roxburgh Castle is a ruined royal castle that overlooks the junction of the rivers Tweed and Teviot, in the Borders region of Scotland. The town and castle developed into the royal burgh of Roxburgh, which the Scots destroyed along with the ca ...
from the English in 1313. He was made a
knight banneret
A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a medieval knight ("a commoner of rank") who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner (which was square-shaped, in contrast to the tapering standard or the penn ...
, a high honor, and fought at the
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn ( gd, Blàr Allt nam Bànag or ) fought on June 23–24, 1314, was a victory of the army of King of Scots Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was ...
in 1314.
The English called Sir James "The Black Douglas" for what they considered his dark deeds: he became the bogeyman of a Northern English lullaby ''Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye. Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye. The Black Douglas shall not get ye.'' Unsubstantiated theories point to his colouring and complexion, this is tenuous. Douglas appears only in English records as "The Black" – Scots chronicles almost always referred to him as "The Guid" or "The Good". Later Douglas lords took the moniker of their revered forebear in the same way that they attached the image of Bruce's heart to their
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
: to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies and to exhibit the prowess of their race.
Crusader
![Bothwell reconstruction](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Bothwell_reconstruction.PNG)
King
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
had requested that Douglas, latterly his most esteemed companion in arms, should carry his heart to the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
, as atonement for the murder of
John III Comyn
John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red (c. 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced ...
.
Douglas and his knights had been invited to join the forces of
Alfonso XI of Castile,
Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
's cousin by his mother
Queen Isabella, to fight against the
Moors
The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages.
Moors are not a distinct or ...
in 1330 at the siege of
Teba
This is a town and municipality located in the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is situated in the northeast of the province, in Guadalteba comarca. As of 2018, its population is 3,818. The tow ...
.
Outnumbered and cut off from the main Christian force, Douglas was killed leading a cavalry charge. The casket containing the heart of the Bruce was recovered and returned to Scotland, to be interred at
Melrose Abbey
St Mary's Abbey, Melrose is a partly ruined monastery of the Cistercian order in Melrose, Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland and was the chief house of ...
.
Douglas' bones were boiled and returned to Scotland; his embalmed heart was recently recovered in the Douglas vaults at the Kirk of St Bride but his bones are not in the stone vault lying under his effigy and they have yet to be located.
By 1333 King Robert's 'bloody heart' was incorporated in the arms of Sir James' son, William, Lord of Douglas. It subsequently appeared, sometimes with a royal crown, in every branch of the Douglas family.
Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of the Realm
The Scottish army that fought and lost the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seize ...
in 1333 was led by James' youngest brother who had been elected
Regent of Scotland
A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because minority reign, the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there is only one ruling Regency (government), Regency in the world, sovereign Liechtens ...
in late March 1333. Sir Archibald Douglas has been badly treated by some historians; frequently misidentifying this Douglas warrior as the
Tyneman or loser when the moniker was intended for a later less fortunate but equally warlike Archibald. He was mentioned in Barbour's ''The Brus'' for his great victory during the
Weardale campaign
The Weardale campaign, part of the First War of Scottish Independence, occurred during July and August 1327 in Weardale, England. A Scottish force under James, Lord of Douglas, and the earls of Moray and Mar faced an English army commande ...
; leading the Scottish army further south into County Durham he devastated the lands and took much booty from Darlington and other nearby towns and villages.
Sir James 'The Good' Douglas' son
William
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
succeeded to the title as Lord of Douglas but may not have completed his title to the estates, possibly because he might have been underage. He died at Halidon Hill with his uncle,
Sir Archibald Douglas. James' younger brother,
Hugh the Dull, Lord of Douglas
Hugh the Dull (1294 – between 1333 and 1346) was Lord of Douglas, a Scottish nobleman and cleric.
The second son of William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas, William Wallace's companion in arms, and Eleanor Ferrers. Hugh's elder brother was Sir Ja ...
, a canon serving the See of Glasgow and held a prebendary at
Roxburgh
Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at leas ...
became Lord Douglas in 1342; Hugh of Douglas resigned his title to his nephew, the youngest surviving son of the Regent Archibald,
William Lord of Douglas who was to become the first Earl. The First Earl's legitimate son
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 – 5 or 19 August 1388) was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.
Early life
He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Marga ...
succeeded him. His
illegitimate
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...
son by
Margaret Stewart, 4th Countess of Angus
Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus and Mar (died 1417) was Countess of Angus and Lady of Abernethy in her own right. Her father was Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus.
She was married to Thomas, Earl of Mar with whom she had no children. After ...
was
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1380–1403) was a Scottish nobleman and peer.
Life
He was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. He was the natural-illegitimate son of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret St ...
, who was the progenitor of the
Earls of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son.
Hist ...
also known as the "Red Douglases".
The prestige of the family was greatly increased when James Douglas's great nephew,
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 – 5 or 19 August 1388) was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.
Early life
He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Marga ...
married Isabel, a daughter of King
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of St ...
. In 1388 at the
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place according to Scottish sources on 5 August 1388, or 19 August according to English sources, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scots and English.
The best remaining record of the bat ...
he was instrumental to the Scots' victory but was killed during the fighting.
Leaving no legitimate heir, his titles passed to the illegitimate son of his great-uncle.
15th century
Wars with England
Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas and Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Douglas and Bothwell (c. 1330 – c. 24 December 1400), called Archibald the Grim or Black Archibald, was a late medieval Scottish nobleman. Archibald was the bastard son of ...
did much to consolidate the family's power and influence. He successfully defended
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
against
Henry IV of England
Henry IV ( April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was King of England from 1399 to 1413. He asserted the claim of his grandfather King Edward III, a maternal grandson of Philip IV of France, to the Kingdom of F ...
in 1400 but died the following year.
His son,
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, married the daughter of
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III (c. 13374 April 1406), born John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. He was also High Steward of Scotland from 1371 to 1390 and held the titles of Earl of Atholl (1367–1390) and Earl of Carrick (1368– ...
. The fourth Earl fought against King
Henry IV of England
Henry IV ( April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was King of England from 1399 to 1413. He asserted the claim of his grandfather King Edward III, a maternal grandson of Philip IV of France, to the Kingdom of F ...
at the
Battle of Shrewsbury
The Battle of Shrewsbury was a battle fought on 21 July 1403, waged between an army led by the Lancastrian King Henry IV and a rebel army led by Henry "Harry Hotspur" Percy from Northumberland. The battle, the first in which English archers ...
in 1403, where he was taken prisoner.
In 1406, with the death of the king, the 4th Earl of Douglas became one of the council of regents to rule Scotland during the childhood of
James I of Scotland
James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of Ro ...
. In 1412, the 4th Earl had visited Paris, when he entered into a personal alliance with
John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy
John I (french: Jean sans Peur; nl, Jan zonder Vrees; 28 May 137110 September 1419) was a Prince du sang, scion of the French royal family who ruled the Burgundian State from 1404 until his death in 1419. He played a key role in French national ...
, and in 1423, he commanded a contingent of 10,000 Scots sent to the aid of
Charles VII of France
Charles VII (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461), called the Victorious (french: le Victorieux) or the Well-Served (), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461.
In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Charles VII inherited the throne of F ...
against the English. He was made
lieutenant-general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
in
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...
's French army, and received the title
Duke of Touraine {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022
Duke of Touraine was a title in the Peerage of France, relating to Touraine.
It was first created in 1360 for Philip the Bold, youngest son of King John II of France. He returned the duchy to the Crown in 1363 on b ...
,
with remainder to his heirs-male, on 19 April 1424. The newly created French duke was defeated and slain at
Battle of Verneuil
The Battle of Verneuil was a battle of the Hundred Years' War, fought on 17 August 1424 near Verneuil-sur-Avre in Normandy between an English army and a combined Franco- Scottish force, augmented by Milanese heavy cavalry. The battle was a s ...
on 17 August 1424, along with his second son, James, and son-in-law
John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (c. 1381 – 17 August 1424) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought alongside Scotland's French allies during the Hundred Years War. In 1419 he was sent to France by his father the Duke of Albany, Regent ...
.
Black Dinner
In 1440, the 16-year-old
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas
William, 6th Earl of Douglas (c. 1424 – 24 November 1440) was a Scottish nobleman. In addition to his Earldom of Douglas, he was Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell, Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and ...
, and his younger brother were invited to dine with the ten-year-old King
James II of Scotland
James II (16 October 1430 – 3 August 1460) was King of Scots from 1437 until his death in 1460. The eldest surviving son of James I of Scotland, he succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of six, following the assassination of his father. ...
.
Later called the Black Dinner, the occasion was organised by the
Lord Chancellor
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
,
Sir William Crichton, and
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale (1371 – 24 March 1443), latterly known as James the Gross, and prior to his ennoblement as James of Balvenie, was a late mediaeval Scottish magnate. He was the second son of Archibald Do ...
who inherited the young earl's wealth and titles. While they ate, a black bull's head, a symbol of death, was brought in and placed before the Earl.
Over the protests of the young King James II, the two brothers were then dragged out to Castle Hill, given a mock trial and beheaded.
The Clan Douglas then laid siege to
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
.
[Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). pp. 114 – 115.] Perceiving the danger, Crichton surrendered the castle to the king and was rewarded with the title Lord Crichton.
It is still unclear exactly who else was ultimately responsible, though it is thought
Livingston
Livingston may refer to:
Businesses
* Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010)
* Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline
* Livingston International, a North American custom ...
and Buchan were likely candidates.
However, it was James Douglas and his son who profited.
Clan conflicts
In 1448,
Hugh Douglas, Earl of Ormond led a Scottish force to victory against an English army at the
Battle of Sark.
Sir Alexander Gordon was created
Earl of Huntly
Marquess of Huntly (traditionally spelled Marquis in Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: ''Coileach Strath Bhalgaidh'') is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existin ...
in 1449. At this time the king was at enmity with the Black Douglases. The Gordons stood on the king's side, and with their men involved in the south of the country,
Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray took the opportunity to sack the Gordon lands, setting Huntly Castle ablaze. However, the Gordons returned and quickly destroyed their enemies. Although the castle was burned to the ground, a grander castle was built in its place.
The Douglases had a long feud with
Clan Colville
Clan Colville is a Lowland Scottish clan.
History
Origins of the Clan
The Clan Colville chiefs are of ancient Norman origin. The name is probably derived from the town of Colville in Normandy. The first of the name to appear in Scotland was P ...
. Sir Richard Colville had killed the Laird of Auchinleck who was an ally of the Douglases. To avenge this murder the Douglases attacked the Colvilles in their castle, where many were killed. The Douglases levelled the Colvilles' castle and put their men to the sword.
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425 – 22 February 1452) was a late Medieval Scottish nobleman, Lord of Galloway, and Lord of the Regality of Lauderdale, and the most powerful magnate in Southern Scotland. He was kil ...
personally executed Richard Colville.
Tantallon Castle - Flickr - S. Rae.jpg, Tantallon Castle, seat of the „Red Douglases“ 1389−1699
Balvenie Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1566751.jpg, The ruins of Balvenie Castle, a stronghold of the Douglases from 1362 to 1455 and seat of John Douglas, Lord of Balvenie
John Douglas, Lord of Balvenie (or Balveny, Balvany) (c. 1433–1463) was the youngest of the five Black Douglas brothers, who rebelled against King James II of Scotland.
Biography
Early life
Balvenie was the son of James Douglas, 7th E ...
Murder of the Earl of Douglas by King James II
After fruitless feuding with the Douglases, the King invited
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425 – 22 February 1452) was a late Medieval Scottish nobleman, Lord of Galloway, and Lord of the Regality of Lauderdale, and the most powerful magnate in Southern Scotland. He was kil ...
to
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 1452 under the promise of safe conduct, but then the King accused the Earl of conspiracy in his dealings with the Yorkists in England and through a pact made between Douglas, the
Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.
Early history
Sir David Lindsay, who ...
and the
Lord of the Isles
The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles
( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title w ...
.
Upon Douglas' refusal to repudiate the pact and reaffirm his loyalty to James II, the King drew his dagger and stabbed Douglas in the throat. The story goes that the King's Captain of the Guard then finished off the Earl with a
pole axe. The body was thrown from the window into a garden below, where it was later given burial. A stained glass window bearing the Douglas Arms now overlooks "Douglas Garden", the spot where the Earl is said to have fallen.
Feud with the Royal Stewarts
In 1455,
James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas, 3rd Earl of Avondale KG (1426–1491) was a Scottish nobleman, last of the 'Black' earls of Douglas.
Early life
The son of James the Gross, 7th Earl of Douglas, by his wife Lady Beatrice Sinclair, daug ...
(the Black Douglas) rebelled against the king but his forces were defeated at the
Battle of Arkinholm
The Battle of Arkinholm was fought on 1 May 1455, at Arkinholm near Langholm in Scotland, during the reign of King James II of Scotland. Although a small action, involving only a few hundred troops, it was the decisive battle in a civil war be ...
by the king's forces who were commanded by
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, Lord Douglas, Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest (c. 1427 – 12 March 1463)Alan R. Borthwick, 'Douglas, George, fourth earl of Angus (c.1417–1463)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University ...
(the Red Douglas). This brought an end to the Black Douglases.
After the battle an act of parliament gave the
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish Provinces of Scotland, province of Angus, Scotland, Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldes ...
the lordship of Douglas with the original possessions of his ancestors in Douglasdale. The 9th Earl of Douglas was later defeated by the forces of King
James III of Scotland
James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh ...
at the
Battle of Lochmaben Fair
The Battle of Lochmaben Fair was an engagement in Lochmaben, Scotland, on 22 July 1484 between Scottish loyalists to James III of Scotland and the rebels Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany and James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas, leading cavalry ...
in 1484.
16th-century conflicts
![6th Earl of Angus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/6th_Earl_of_Angus.jpg)
In 1513, there was a strong Douglas contingent at the
Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
, where two of
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (c. 1449October 1513), was a Scottish nobleman, peer, politician, and magnate. Tradition has accorded him the nickname Archibald 'Bell-the-Cat' due to his association with the 1482 rebellion against Jam ...
's sons were killed along with 200 men of the name of Douglas.
In 1526,
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 148922 January 1557) was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and suc ...
defeated
Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch
Sir Walter Scott, 1st of Branxholme, 3rd of Buccleuch (c. 1495 – killed 4 October 1552), known as "Wicked Wat", was a nobleman of the Scottish Borders and the chief of Clan Scott who briefly served as Warden of the Middle March He was an "i ...
, chief of
Clan Scott
Clan Scott is a Scottish clan and is recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council ...
, at the
Battle of Melrose
The Battle of Melrose was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 25 July 1526.[Battle of Melros ...](_blank)
, who was attempting to rescue the young
James V of Scotland
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of James IV of Sco ...
from Douglas.
A dispute occurred in 1530, when Sir Robert Charteris, the 8th Laird and chief of
Clan Charteris
Clan Charteris is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.
History
Origins of the Name
The claimed origin of the name Charteris is that it is from the city of Chartres in France.
Origins of the Clan
William, a son of the Lord Chartres, is ...
fought a duel with
Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig in what was said to have been one of the last great chivalric contests. It was fought with all the observance of a medieval tournament with heralds and the king himself watching from the castle walls. The joust was apparently fought with such fury that Charteris' sword was broken and the king had to send his men-at-arms to part the combatants.
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 148922 January 1557) was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and suc ...
held the post of Lord Chancellor and became guardian of
James V of Scotland
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of James IV of Sco ...
by marrying his widowed mother,
Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Marg ...
, sister of
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, with whom he had a daughter,
Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (8 October 1515 – 7 March 1578), was the daughter of the Scottish queen dowager Margaret Tudor and her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. In her youth she was high in the favour of her un ...
, mother of
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1546 – 10 February 1567), was an English nobleman who was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the father of James VI and I, James VI of Scotland and I of England. Through his parents, he had claims to b ...
. In 1545, Angus led his forces to victory at the
Battle of Ancrum Moor where they defeated the English army during the
Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing (December 1543 – March 1551), also known as the Eight Years' War, was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the 16th century. Following its break with the Roman Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland, partly to break the ...
, and he was also present at the defeat in 1547 at the
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh ( , ), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Cro ...
.
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581, aged 65) was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he won the civil war that had b ...
, nephew of the 6th Earl of Angus, was a bitter enemy of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...
.
He was one of the murderers of the queen's secretary
David Rizzio
David Rizzio ( ; it, Davide Rizzio ; – 9 March 1566) or Riccio ( , ) was an Italian courtier, born in Pancalieri close to Turin, a descendant of an ancient and noble family still living in Piedmont, the Riccio Counts di San Paolo e Solbrito ...
and was heavily implicated in the murder of her second husband
Lord Darnley
Lord Darnley is a noble title associated with a Scottish Lordship of Parliament, first created in 1356 for the family of Stewart of Darnley and tracing a descent to the Dukedom of Richmond in England. The title's name refers to Darnley in Scot ...
.
In 1572 he was elected regent for the still minor
King James VI
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
. In many respects Morton was an energetic and capable ruler, but he was brutal in crushing factions still loyal to Queen Mary. Regent Morton was finally forced to resign in March 1578, but retained much of his power. Ultimately, he was accused of complicity in the murder of Darnley and was executed in 1581.
17th century and the Bishops' War
During the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities united in a pers ...
,
William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and 11th Earl of Angus (1589–1660) was a Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish nobleman.
Life
Master of Angus
William Douglas was the eldest son of William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus and his Countess, Eliza ...
, a Catholic, was a supporter of
King Charles I.
In 1633, he was created Marquess of Douglas.
Following the
Battle of Kilsyth in 1645, he joined
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier, Lord Lieutenant, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wa ...
, and was present when
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
forces fought
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
cavalry at the
Battle of Philiphaugh
The Battle of Philiphaugh was fought on 13 September 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The Royalist army of the Marquis of Montrose was destroyed by the Covenanter army of Sir David Leslie, ...
where he barely escaped with his life.
Following
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
's victory, he was able to make peace and was fined £1,000.
In 1660,
William Douglas, the brother of the second Marquess of Douglas became, through marriage, the
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
.
Eventually, the titles of Marquess of Douglas, Earl of Angus, and several others devolved to the Dukes of Hamilton and the heir of that house is always styled 'Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale'.
The Douglas and Hamilton lines became Douglas-Hamilton and, under
Scots law
Scots law () is the legal system of Scotland. It is a hybrid or mixed legal system containing civil law and common law elements, that traces its roots to a number of different historical sources. Together with English law and Northern Ireland l ...
, are barred from inheriting the title of chief of Clan Douglas due to the hyphenated surname.
This similarly applies to the Douglas-Home family who joined their surnames in the nineteenth century.
In 1689,
James Douglas, Earl of Angus
James Douglas, Earl of Angus (1671 – 3 August 1692) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier.
He was born at Douglas Castle, Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The son of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas and his first wife Lady Barbara Erskine, e ...
raised the
Cameronian regiment (Earl of Angus's regiment). Although greatly outnumbered, the regiment managed to defeat a larger Jacobite force at the
Battle of Dunkeld
The Battle of Dunkeld ( gd, Blàr Dhùn Chaillinn) was fought between Jacobite clans supporting the deposed king James VII of Scotland and a regiment of covenanters supporting William of Orange, King of Scotland, in the streets around Dunk ...
. The regiment was victorious under the command of Captain
George Munro, 1st of Auchinbowie.
18th century and the Jacobite risings
In 1703, the
Marquisate of Douglas was elevated to a Dukedom.
Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas married
Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (8 October 1515 – 7 March 1578), was the daughter of the Scottish queen dowager Margaret Tudor and her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. In her youth she was high in the favour of her un ...
(a distant relation) late in life and had no direct heir – the title of Duke became extinct on his death. By the late 17th century, more political power was wielded by the Douglases of Drumlanrig, in Dumfriesshire who are also descended from the Black Douglases. The Douglases of Drumlanrig had become
Earl of Queensberry
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...
in 1633,
Marquises
The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in t ...
in 1682 and
Dukes
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
in 1684. The maneuvers of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, contributed to the Union of 1707.
During the Jacobite risings of the 18th century the Douglases continued their support for the British Government. Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas led the volunteer horse at Battle of Sheriffmuir during the Jacobite rising of 1715. Also at that fight was the Duke's young cousin, Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar, colonel of the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), 3rd Regiment of foot, and who died of wounds taken there shortly afterward. Douglas Castle was burnt by the Highland armies of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the Jacobite rising of 1745. Douglas Castle was again burnt down in 1755, and the Duke commenced work on a new edifice designed by Robert Adam. Building work ceased on the Duke's death in 1761, and with it his Dukedom became extinct. The Marquisate of Douglas and Earldom of Angus devolved to James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton, the senior male-line descendant of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas, his great-great-great grandfather, by the way of his son, Lord William Douglas, 1st Earl of Selkirk, whom upon his marriage to Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton, became William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton, the adoption of the surname Hamilton being one of the conditions to inheriting the Dukedom. His descendants would later add Douglas back to the surname and become the Douglas-Hamilton branch.
Dalkeith Palace.jpg, Dalkeith Palace, the former Dalkeith Castle was owned by the clan since 1341 and extended by James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, Regent Morton from 1574
Hamilton Palace II.jpg, Hamilton Palace (1916, demolished in 1927)
Lennoxlove House.jpg, Lennoxlove House, East Lothian, present seat of the Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
The Queen at the Scottish Parliament.jpg, Elizabeth II opening the Scottish Parliament, with Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, traditionally carrying the Crown of Scotland (2011)
20th century and the World Wars
In 1895, Alfred Douglas-Hamilton inherited the Dukedom of Hamilton from his cousin William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton and became Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton. Alfred Douglas-Hamilton was the great-great-great grandson of James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton through a collateral line. During World War 1, Hamilton Palace, the main family seat, was used as a hospital with his blessing. During World War 2, his sons, Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk, Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton, and Lord David Douglas-Hamilton made history by all being squadron leaders or above at the outbreak of the war. Lord David Douglas-Hamilton was killed in action in 1944. Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton was the first man to fly over Mt. Everest. His son, Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton was also in the Royal Air Force and achieved the rank of flight lieutenant during his service in the Cold War. He was the father of the current Duke, Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton. The current heir presumptive to the Dukedom is the 16th Duke's son, Douglas Charles Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale.
The Swedish branch
![Douglas BWB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Douglas_BWB.png)
The lineage of the Swedish branch of the Douglas of Dalkeith line begins with James Douglas, documented in 1353, died in 1420. His descendant Sir William Douglas of Whittingehame Tower, Whittingehame (which had come from the Earls of March by marriage to James Douglas of Dalkeith in 1372) became English ambassador to the royal Danish court at Copenhagen in 1603. His grandson, the Scottish-born Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge, Robert Douglas (1611-1662), transplanted this branch of the Scottish clan to
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
when in 1627 he became an officer in the Thirty Years' War; In 1657 he became field marshal. He received the Swedish title of Baron in 1651 and the title of Count (the highest title awarded to non-royalty in Sweden) in 1654. He was enfeoffed with the county of Skänninge and introduced in 1654 to the class of counts of the Swedish nobility under No. 19. From 1655 he built Stjärnorp Castle in Östergötland, which is still an ancestral seat of the Swedish branch today, besides Ekensholm Castle and Rydboholm Castle. The Escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon of the Swedish Douglas family's arms is the Scottish Douglas arms.
Robert Douglas' descendants, the Swedish counts Douglas (the title is not primogenous, but is held by all members of the line), are one of Sweden's most prominent noble families since the mid 17th century and has included numerous prominent individuals, such as Foreign Minister Ludvig Douglas. Count Gustaf Douglas is an important entrepreneur. His sisters are Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough and Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria, the wife of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria. Walburga Habsburg Douglas, Walburga Habsburg, Countess Douglas, the daughter of Austria-Hungary's last crown prince, is a member of this family by her marriage to Count Archibald Douglas.
Through a marriage in 1848 to Countess Louise von Langenstein Castle, Langenstein und Gondelsheim, an illegitimate daughter of Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden, the Swedish Count Carl Israel Wilhelm Douglas (1824–1898) came into possession of Langenstein Castle in Baden, near Lake Constance. Their children achieved important political offices in both Sweden and Germany: their son count Wilhelm Douglas was a member of the Reichstag (German Empire), German Reichstag, his brother count Ludvig Douglas (1849–1916) was the Swedish foreign minister, and their grandson count Archibald Douglas (1883–1960) was chief of staff of the Swedish army. In 1906, the grandson Karl Robert took up his main residence at Langenstein Castle, which his descendants still live in today.
Stjarnorp view01.jpg, Stjärnorp Castle, Östergötland (Sweden)
Ekensholm Slott 1967.jpg, Ekensholm Castle, Södermanland (Sweden)
Rydboholms slott - KMB - 16000300021233.jpg, Rydboholm Castle, Uppland (Sweden)
Langenstein 120306.jpg, Langenstein Castle, Baden (Germany)
Chief
Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, and 13th Duke of Brandon is heir to the Clan chief, chiefdom of the house of Douglas, but he cannot assume the title of Clan chief, chief since the Lord Lyon King of Arms requires him to assume the single name Douglas. Note that the Duke of Hamilton is the Chief of Clan Hamilton. For a list of the historic chiefs of Clan Douglas see:
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the forfeit title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, so ...
until 1455 and
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish Provinces of Scotland, province of Angus, Scotland, Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldes ...
for after 1455.
Douglas castles
![Sign at Tantallon Castle - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Sign_at_Tantallon_Castle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1803280.jpg)
* Aberdour Castle, Fife, held by the Earls of Morton (partially preserved).
*
Balvenie Castle,
Moray, held by James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (ruined).
*
Berwick Castle
Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.
History
The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...
, Northumberland. Governed by William Douglas (le Hardi), William "le Hardi".(ruined, now forms part of Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station)
* Bonkyll Castle (Bunkle),
Berwickshire.
* Bothwell Castle,
South Lanarkshire (ruins).
* Bowhill House, Selkirkshire. Home of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry (preserved).
* Cranshaws Castle.
* Dalkeith Palace, Dalkeith Castle,
Mid-Lothian. (heavily converted)
*
Douglas Castle
Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas (later Douglas-Home) family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large man ...
,
in South Lanarkshire (now only minimal ruins remain).
* Drumlanrig Castle,
Dumfries and Galloway. 17th-century mansion house of the Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry (preserved).
* Grangemuir House,
Fife.
* Hawthornden Castle,
Mid-Lothian.
* Hermitage Castle, Roxburghshire, 13th-century Douglas stronghold (restored ruin).
* Hume Castle, Berwickshire. ancient links with Douglas, home of Sir Alexander Douglas.
* Kilspindie Castle,
East Lothian. Home to the Douglases of Kilspindie, (scant ruins)
* Langenstein Castle, Germany, to this day home to the Swedish-German branch (Counts Douglas).
* Lennoxlove House, East Lothian. Home of the
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
, (''also'' the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale,
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish Provinces of Scotland, province of Angus, Scotland, Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldes ...
etc.) (preserved).
* Loch Leven Castle, Kinross. First home of the Earl of Morton (ruins).
* Lochindorb Castle,
Strathspey
* Morton Castle, Nithsdale, Dumfries and Galloway. ruined former home of the Douglas Earls of Morton.
* Newark Castle, Selkirkshire.
* Neidpath Castle, Peeblesshire.
* Ormond Castle,
Black Isle.
*
Roxburgh Castle
Roxburgh Castle is a ruined royal castle that overlooks the junction of the rivers Tweed and Teviot, in the Borders region of Scotland. The town and castle developed into the royal burgh of Roxburgh, which the Scots destroyed along with the ca ...
, captured by Sir James Douglas.
* Rydboholm Castle, home to the Swedish branch.
* Sandilands Castle,
Fife (ruins).
* Stjärnorp Castle,
Östergötland,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
(partially ruined), home to the Swedish branch.
* Strathaven Castle,
South Lanarkshire
* Strathendry Castle,
Fife.
*
Tantallon Castle,
East Lothian. Stronghold of the Red Douglases (partially ruined).
* Threave Castle,
Dumfries and Galloway (ruins).
* Timpendean Tower,
Roxburghshire (ruins).
* Whittingehame Tower,
East Lothian.
Titles
; Peerage of Scotland
*
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...
, Marquess of Clydesdale, Earl of Arran and Cambridge, Lord Aven and Innerdale (1643)
* Duke of Hamilton, Marquess of Clydesdale, Earl of Arran, Lanark and Selkirk, Lord Aven, Machanshire, Polmont and Daer (Life Peerage, 1660)
* Duke of Queensberry, Marquess of Dumfriesshire (1684)
* Marquess of Douglas, Earl of Angus, Lord Abernerthy and Jedburgh Forest (1633)
* Marquess of Queensberry, Earl of Drumlanrig and Sanquhar, Viscount Nith, Torthorwald and Ross, Lord Douglas of Kilmount, Middlebie and Dornock (1682)
* Earl of Mar (c. 1114)
* Earl of Wigtown (1341)
*
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the forfeit title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, so ...
(1358)
*
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish Provinces of Scotland, province of Angus, Scotland, Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldes ...
(1389)
* Earl of Avondale (1437)
* Earl of Morton (1458)
*
Earl of Queensberry
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...
, Viscount of Drumlanrig, Lord Douglas of Hawick and Tibbers (1633)
* Earl of Lanark, Lord Machanshire and Polmont (1639)
* Earl of Arran (Scotland), Earl of Arran (1643)
* Earl of Selkirk, Lord Daer and Shortcleugh (1646)
* Earl of Orkney, Viscount of Kirkwall, Lord Dechmont (1696)
* Earl of March, Viscount of Peebles, Lord Douglas of Neidpath, Lyne and Munard (1697)
* Earl of Solway, Viscount Tibbers, Lord Douglas of Lockerby, Dalveen and Thornhill (1706)
* Viscount Drumlanrig, Viscount of Drumlanrig, Lord Douglas of Hawick and Tibbers (1628)
* Viscount of Belhaven (1633)
; Peerage of Great Britain
* Duke of Dover, Marquess of Beverley, Baron Ripon (1708)
* Duke of Brandon, Baron Dutton (1711)
* Baron Hamilton of Hameldon (1776)
* Baron Douglas of Lochleven (1791)
; Peerage of the United Kingdom
* Baron Solway (1833)
* Baron Penrhyn (1866)
* Baron Kelhead (1893)
* Baron Douglas of Kirtleside (1948)
* James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas, Baron Selkirk of Douglas (Life Peerage, 1997)
Tartans
Eminent members of the Douglas family
Douglases have excelled in many fields, from politics to sports, science to the military, and more. Biographies held on Wikipedia can be found in the lists: 'Douglas (surname) and Douglass (surname)'.
Family tree
Popular culture
Samuel Rutherford Crockett's 1899 novel Black Douglas (1899 novel), ''The Black Douglas'' featured the "Black Dinner".
In the Highlander (franchise), ''Highlander'' novel Highlander: Scotland the Brave, ''Scotland the Brave'', James Douglas (Highlander), James Douglas is a fictional Scot born into Clan Douglas, who died his First Death in 1746 at the Battle of Culloden.
The Black Dinner served as inspiration for the events of the Red Wedding depicted in ''A Storm of Swords'', the third book of George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series. Material based on the Red Wedding was included in the episode "The Rains of Castamere" of the HBO drama ''Game of Thrones'' which aired on 2 June 2013 in the United States.
See also
* Armigerous clan
* Earl of Home
* Scottish clan
References
Sources
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External links
Clan Douglas Society of North AmericaDouglas HistoryThe Douglas Archives – a compendium of historical notes and biographies.
{{authority control
Armigerous clans, Douglas
House of Douglas and Angus,
Scottish clans, Douglas
Scottish Lowlands
lt:Škotijos klanai