William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry facts for kids
William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry (born 1637, died March 28, 1695) was an important Scottish politician. He was also known as the 3rd Earl of Queensberry and the 1st Marquess of Queensberry.
William Douglas was the son of James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Queensberry and Margaret Stewart. When his father died in 1671, William became the Earl of Queensberry. He then took his place in the Parliament of Scotland in June 1672.
William Douglas's Political Career
William Douglas held many important jobs in the Scottish government. In 1667, he became a Privy Councillor for Scotland. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the king.
From 1680 to 1682, he served as the Lord Justice General. This was a very high legal position in Scotland. After that, he became the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland from 1682 to 1686. This role put him in charge of the country's money.
In 1682, he was given the title of Marquess of Queensberry. Then, in 1684, he became the Duke of Queensberry. These were very high noble titles.
William Douglas did not agree with King James VII's plans for the Church of Scotland in 1685. He refused to support the king's ideas.
He was the Lord President of the Privy Council from 1686 to 1689. He was also a Privy Councillor for both Scotland and England starting in 1685. However, in 1687, he was accused of mismanaging things by James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth. Because of this, he lost his important jobs.
Later, William Douglas supported King William and Queen Mary when they came to power. He regained the king's favor and was appointed an Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1693. This was a special judge position.
He bought a large house in Edinburgh in 1689, which is now called Queensberry House. He lived there until he died.
Family Life
In 1657, William Douglas married Lady Isabel Douglas. She was the daughter of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas. They had several children together:
- Lady Anne Douglas (died in 1700)
- James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry (1662–1711)
- William Douglas, 1st Earl of March (died in 1705)
- George Douglas
