William Longleg, Lord of Douglas facts for kids
William, Lord of Douglas (born around 1220, died around 1274) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was also known as Longleg. William was the son of Archibald I, Lord of Douglas.
Scotland's Young King and Political Struggles
When King Alexander III was young (from 1249 to 1262), two main groups in Scotland fought for control of the country. One group was led by Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith. They wanted Scotland to be strong and independent. The other group was led by Alan Durward, who was more friendly with England.
At first, Walter Comyn's group had more power. But in 1255, the Scottish and English kings met in Kelso. After this meeting, Alan Durward's group gained control.
Later, both groups called a big meeting of important Scottish leaders, called magnates. They wanted to set up a special government, called a regency, to rule until King Alexander was old enough. William, Lord of Douglas, was one of the important leaders at this meeting.
Douglas supported Alan Durward's group. This was likely because he had land in both Scotland and England. Through his wife, Constance, he owned a rich area called Fawdon in Northumberland, England. Keeping the English king happy helped protect his lands there.
William Longleg's Family
William Longleg married Constance Battail of Fawdon. They had two sons and one daughter.
- Hugh I, Lord of Douglas (died around 1274)
- William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas (1240–1298)
- Willelma de Douglas (died 1302)
