Earl of Douglas facts for kids
This page is about the powerful family known as the Earls of Douglas in Scotland. They were important leaders and landowners. The title of Earl of Douglas was first given in 1358 to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. This family lost their title and lands in 1455.
Contents
Who Were the Douglas Family?
Their Early History
The Douglas family, who were leaders of Clan Douglas, had a long history in Scotland. Some stories say they came from a mythical hero named Sholto Douglas. However, it's more likely they were descendants of people from Flanders (a region in modern-day Belgium) who moved to Scotland. This happened during the time of David I of Scotland.
The first Douglas we know about from records was William I, Lord of Douglas. He lived around 1174 to 1214. He was mentioned in a document in 1198. His name "Will. de Dufglas" showed he was from the Douglas area.
The Douglas family might have been connected to the Moray family. Both families used three silver stars on a blue background in their family crests. This suggests they might have been related.
Famous Artworks About the Douglas Family
In the early 1500s, a painter named Bernardino de' Conti created a portrait for Charles II D'Amboise. This painting showed "The Earl of Douglas surnamed Black Dudley." This was likely James, Lord of Douglas.
Several copies of this painting exist. One is in the Seattle Art Museum. Another was once owned by Henry VIII and is now with the Royal Family.
How the Douglas Family Grew Strong
Sir William the Hardy was an early Douglas leader who became very important. He joined William Wallace's fight against England. He was captured and died in the Tower of London.
His son, Sir James Douglas, then supported Robert the Bruce. Sir James fought many battles with Bruce, leading up to the famous Battle of Bannockburn. After Bruce became king, Sir James was made the guardian of the Scottish border. He was known as "the Black Douglas" by the English and "the Good Sir James" by the Scots. After Bruce died, Sir James carried the king's heart on a journey to the Holy Land. He died fighting in Spain.
The Earls of Douglas Take Power
The nephew of the Good Sir James, William, Lord of Douglas, became the first Earl of Douglas in 1358. He made the Douglas family even more powerful by marrying Margaret, Countess of Mar. This marriage greatly increased their lands.
The Douglas family's power grew even more when the 2nd Earl married Princess Isabel, the daughter of King Robert II of Scotland. The family reached its peak when Archibald the Grim inherited the Earldom. He was a son of the Good Sir James. Archibald the Grim was already a powerful lord of Galloway. He also gained more lands through his wife, Joanna de Moravia. This made him the biggest landowner in Scotland, second only to the King.
Many Earls of Douglas, including the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Earls, fought in France during the Hundred Years War. They also fought battles along the border with England. The 4th Earl, Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, was even a character in William Shakespeare's play Henry IV, Part 1. He later went to France with a large army and was made a Duke there. He died in battle in 1424. The 5th Earl of Douglas later became a temporary ruler of Scotland when King James II of Scotland was a child.
However, the Douglas family faced a terrible event. The 5th Earl's young sons, William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother David, were called to Edinburgh Castle. At an event known as the "Black Dinner," they were taken outside and executed in front of the young king. This was done by powerful lords who wanted to reduce the Douglas family's power.
The Fall of the Black Douglases
The boys' great-uncle, James the Gross, became the 7th Earl of Douglas. He inherited all the Douglas lands and died in 1443. His five strong sons then held the family's power.
King James II of Scotland was very frustrated with William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, who was too powerful. The Earl refused to break an alliance with other powerful lords. So, the King killed him with his own hands, even though the Earl had been promised safety.
The 8th Earl's brothers, including James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas, started a rebellion against the King. But they were defeated in 1455 at the Battle of Arkinholm. Most of the Douglas brothers were killed or executed. The 9th Earl, who was in England at the time, lost all his titles and lands. He continued to cause trouble from England until he was captured in 1484. He then had to live out his days in a monastery. His lands were given to the King's supporters, especially the Earl of Angus.
Black and Red Douglases
After the 2nd Earl of Douglas died in 1388 without children, the Earldom passed to Archibald the Grim. He was a son of "The Good Sir James."
At the same time, George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus, who was another son of the 1st Earl, inherited his mother's title of Earl of Angus.
Later, these two main branches of the Douglas family were called the Black Douglases and the Red Douglases. The Black Douglases were the main line of the Earls of Douglas. The Red Douglases were the Earls of Angus.
The Black Douglases lost their power and titles in 1455. However, the title of Douglas was brought back in 1633 for the "Red" Douglas line. William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus, was made the First Marquess of Douglas by King Charles I of England.
Important Douglas Leaders
Here are some of the key Lords and Earls of Douglas:
Lords of Douglas
- William I, Lord of Douglas (died around 1214)
- William 'The Hardy', Lord of Douglas (around 1240–1298) - Died as a prisoner.
- James 'The Good', Lord of Douglas (around 1290–1330) - Died fighting in Spain.
- William, Lord of Douglas (1327–1384) - Became the first Earl in 1358.
Earls of Douglas (from 1358)
- William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327–1384)
- James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358–1388) - Died in battle.
- Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325–1400) - Known as "the Grim."
- Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370–1424) - Also a Duke in France, died in battle.
- Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390–1439)
- William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426–1440) - Killed at the Black Dinner.
- James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (died 1443) - Known as "the Gross."
- William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas (1425–1452) - Killed by King James II.
- James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas (died 1488) - The last "Black Douglas," lost his titles in 1455.
Other Titles Held by the Earls of Douglas
The Earls of Douglas also held other important titles at different times, including:
- Dukedom of Touraine (in France)
- Earldom of Mar
- Earldom of Wigtown
- Earldom of Avondale
- Earldom of Moray
- Lordship of Galloway
Seals of the Douglas Lords
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Seal of William le Hardi, Lord of Douglas
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Seal of William, 1st Earl of Douglas
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Seal of Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas
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Seal of the 4th Earl of Douglas, Duke of Touraine
More About the Douglas Family
The Red Douglas Line
- The Earl of Angus family later became the Marquess of Douglas and Duke of Douglas.
- Today, the Dukes of Hamilton are the main male descendants of the Douglas family.
Other Douglas Branches
- Earl of Home
- Earl of Queensberry
- Earl of Morton
- A Swedish-German branch of the family, from Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge.
