Anne Douglas, Countess of Morton facts for kids
Anne Douglas, Countess of Morton (born Anne Villiers, around 1610 – December 15, 1654), was a famous English noblewoman. She was known for her beauty, courage, and strong loyalty to the King during a difficult time in English history. A play from the 1600s, called Cicilia and Clorinda, was even written in her honor.
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Anne Villiers's Family Background
Anne Villiers was the daughter of Sir Edward Villiers and Barbara St. John. Her father's half-brother was the powerful Duke of Buckingham, making him her half-uncle. Anne had several nieces who also became well-known, including Elizabeth Villiers and Barbara Villiers.
Marriage and Children
In April 1627, Anne married Robert Douglas, Lord Dalkeith. He later became the Earl of Morton. Anne and Robert had at least three children who grew up:
- William Douglas, 9th Earl of Morton (died 1681), who married Lady Grizel Middleton and had children.
- Lady Anne Douglas, who married William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal in 1654 and had children.
- Lady Mary Douglas, who married Sir Donald Macdonald on July 24, 1662, and had children.
A Heroine During the Civil War
During the English Civil War (a big conflict in England between the King and Parliament), Anne, who was then known as Lady Dalkeith, was given a very important job. She became the godmother and caretaker for Princess Henrietta, who was the baby daughter of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria. The princess was less than a month old when she was placed in Lady Dalkeith's care.
In April 1646, the city of Exeter, where they were staying, was surrounded by the Parliament's army, also known as the Roundheads. Lady Dalkeith had to use her own money to look after the princess. She bravely refused to hand the child over to the Parliament's forces. Instead, she decided to take the princess all the way to France to reunite her with her mother, the Queen.
Lady Dalkeith disguised herself and the baby princess as poor peasants. They secretly traveled to Dover and then crossed the sea to France. It's said that during their journey, the princess almost gave away their secret by innocently telling people that she wasn't used to dressing in such simple clothes! But despite the danger, they arrived safely in France. Lady Dalkeith's courageous actions were highly praised when she reached safety. Soon after, her father-in-law passed away, and she became the Countess of Morton.
Lady Morton continued to live in France as Princess Henrietta's governess (a private teacher and caretaker) until 1651, when her husband, the Earl, died. She always remained a strong Protestant, even though the princess's mother tried to convert the princess to Catholicism. Lady Morton herself died in Scotland on December 15, 1654, after a sudden fever.
Friendship with Lord Clarendon
For many years, Lady Morton had a very close friendship with Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, who was a distant cousin by marriage. Their friendship was very important to both of them.
However, they eventually had a disagreement. Lady Morton accused Lord Clarendon of getting involved in her plans for her daughter Anne's marriage. Because of this, she ended their close friendship, which made Lord Clarendon very sad. Lady Morton had also planned to marry again, to John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, but this marriage never happened. Some people think Lord Clarendon might have opposed it, as he had also had disagreements with Berkeley.
Lord Clarendon greatly respected Anne's memory. It is believed that this respect was one reason why he strongly disliked her niece, Barbara Villiers. He felt it was wrong for someone so closely related to his dear friend to behave in a way he disapproved of. This dislike eventually contributed to Lord Clarendon's own political difficulties, as Barbara Villiers also disliked him and worked to cause his downfall.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Anne, Countess of Morton, by Theodore Russel, around 1640s
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See Also
- English Civil War
- Henrietta Anne of England
