Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus facts for kids
Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton (1555 – 4 August 1588) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was a powerful figure during the time of Mary, Queen of Scots and her son, James VI of Scotland.
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Early Life and Family
Archibald Douglas was born in 1555. His father was David Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus. When his father passed away in 1558, Archibald inherited his titles and lands. He was raised by his uncle, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, who was a strong supporter of the Presbyterian church in Scotland.
Political Career
Archibald went to the University of St Andrews for his education. He also had a tutor at his uncle Morton's court.
He became a member of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1573, which was a group of advisors to the King. He also held other important jobs like Sheriff of Berwickshire and Lieutenant-General in Scotland. He was also a Warden of the Marches, which meant he was in charge of keeping peace on the border with England.
Archibald was a strong supporter of his uncle Morton and their Protestant beliefs. Because of his political views, he was forced to leave Scotland and live in England twice.
Support for Morton and Exile
In 1580, Archibald strongly supported his uncle Morton when he was in trouble. He even tried to rescue him, but it didn't work. Archibald was accused of treason in 1581. After Morton was executed, Archibald went to live in London, England. Queen Elizabeth I welcomed him there.
Return to Scotland
After an event called the Raid of Ruthven in 1582, Archibald returned to Scotland. He made peace with King James. However, the King soon took back control from some powerful noblemen, and Archibald was again sent away from the King's court.
In 1584, Archibald joined a rebellion with other noblemen. They took control of Stirling Castle for a short time. But their plan failed, and they had to flee to England again. They stayed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which became a place where Scottish Protestants gathered. Queen Elizabeth I encouraged them, as she saw them as friends of England.
Victory and Influence
In 1585, Archibald and the other banished noblemen returned to Scotland. They easily defeated their opponents and took control of Stirling Castle where the King was. They convinced King James to give them back their lands and allow them to help govern Scotland.
Archibald lived in Edinburgh, in a house near the Canongate street.
In 1586, he was given the title of Earl of Morton, becoming the 5th Earl of Morton. This title had been passed down from his uncle. Later that year, he was again made Warden of the Marches and Lieutenant-General on the Border. He had a force of 100 horsemen and 100 foot soldiers to help him keep order.
He did a good job of bringing peace to the border areas. However, he couldn't convince the King to fully support the Presbyterian church government.
Death
Archibald Douglas became very ill in July 1588. He died on 4 August 1588 at Smeaton, near Dalkeith Palace. He was likely buried at Abernethy.
At the time, some people believed his death was caused by witchcraft. His doctor found his illness very strange. During the North Berwick witch trials, some people were accused of using witchcraft to cause his death. This shows how people thought about witchcraft in those days.
Family Life
Archibald Douglas was married three times:
- In 1573, he married Mary Erskine. She was the daughter of the Earl of Mar. Her dowry (money or property brought by a bride to her husband) was 8,000 merks.
- In 1575, he married Margaret Leslie, but they divorced in 1587.
- In 1587, he married Jean Lyon. They had one daughter named Margaret, who passed away at age 15.
Archibald was succeeded as Earl of Angus by his cousin, William. The Earldom of Morton went to a different branch of the Douglas family.
See Also
