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Earl of Douglas

Overview

:"Earl Douglas" redirects here; for the American radio personality see Earl Douglas (radio) This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title, Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland. The Earldom was forfeited by James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas in 1455.

Origins

The Earls of Douglas and their successors claimed descent from Sholto Douglas, a mythical figure dated by Godscroft to 767 AD. However, it is more likely that they were descendants of Flemish immigrants to Scotland, during the reign of David I. Through the marriage of William the Hardy, grandfather of the 1st Earl, to Eleanor de Lovaine, The Earls of Douglas could trace their ancestry to the Landgraves of Brabant, the Counts of Hainaut, and through them to Charles the Bald, grandson of the emperor Charlemagne. In the story of Sholto Douglas, his son William Douglas is a commander of forces sent by the mythical Scottish king Achaius (Eochaid?), to the court of Charlemagne to aid him in his wars against Desiderius, King of the Lombards. William Douglas is said to have settled in Piacenza where his descendants became powerful local magnates, and eventual leaders of the Guelf faction of that city.

Black and Red Douglases

Following the death of the 2nd Earl at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 without legitimate issue, the Earldom passed to a bastard son of 'The Good Sir James', the poetically named Archibald the Grim, the Lord of Galloway. This occurred through articles of special entail in the resignation of title by Hugh the Dull, Lord of Douglas. George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus the bastard son of the 1st Earl by his sister-in law Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus, inherited his mother's Earldom of Angus. Retrospectively the two branches of Douglas and Angus were described as the Black and Red lines respectively.

The Black Douglases fell from power and were attainted by King James II in 1455. The seventh Earl was created Earl of Avondale and Lord Balveny in 1437, also in the Peerage of Scotland. These titles also became forfeit in 1455.

The title of Douglas was restored in 1633 for the 'Red' Douglas line, when William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus (1589-1660), was created First Marquess of Douglas by Charles I.

Earls of Douglas (1358)

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above. *William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas and 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425-1452), Murdered by James II. *James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas and 3rd Earl of Avondale (d.1488), the last "Black Douglas", brother of the previous, attainted 1455 and all his titles forfeit.

Lordship of Douglas, and other estates and title devolved upon: George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus

See also

Red Douglas
*Earl of Angus, later Marquess of Douglas and Duke of Douglas. :This line is represented now by the Dukes of Hamilton, the heirs male of the House of Douglas.

References

Notes
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;"> </div>
Sources
<div class="references-small"> *Godscroft, David Hume of. The History of the House and Race of Douglas and Angus. London 1820 *Maxwell, Sir Herbert. A History of the House of Douglas II Vols. London 1902 *Brown Michael. The Black Douglases-War and Lordship in late Medieval Scotland. East Linton 1998 </div>
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That biography says:

Sir James had two children by unknown mothers: *William, Lord of Douglas killed 1333 at the Battle of Halidon Hill :*In 1333 succeeded by his uncle, Hugh "the Dull", Lord of Douglas (c.1294-1342) :*In 1342 succeeded by his cousin, William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, (1327-1384) *Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400), Lord of Galloway succeeded his once removed cousin as Earl of Douglas in 1388...
How is Earl of Douglas connected to Charles I of England? Tell the world.

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above...

That biography says:

James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale (1371–24 March 1443), known as 'the Gross' was a Scottish nobleman...

That biography says:

Sir James had two children by unknown mothers: *William, Lord of Douglas killed 1333 at the Battle of Halidon Hill :*In 1333 succeeded by his uncle, Hugh the Dull, Lord of Douglas (c.1294-1342) :*In 1342 succeeded by his cousin, William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, (1327-1384) *Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400), Lord of Galloway succeeded his once removed cousin as Earl of Douglas in 1388...

This biography says:

...Through the marriage of William the Hardy, grandfather of the 1st Earl, to Eleanor de Lovaine, The Earls of Douglas could trace their ancestry to the Landgraves of Brabant, the Counts of Hainaut, and through them to Charles the Bald, grandson of the emperor Charlemagne. In the story of Sholto Douglas, his son William Douglas is a commander of forces sent by the mythical Scottish king Achaius (Eochaid?), to the court of Charlemagne to aid him in his wars against Desiderius, King of the Lombards...

This biography says:

...The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland. The Earldom was forfeited by James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas in 1455.

That biography says:

James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas, 3rd Earl of Avondale (1426–1488), was a Scottish nobleman, last of the 'Black' earls of Douglas...

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above...

That biography says:

Archibald Douglas ''The Tyneman'' (Old Scots, loser), Duke of Touraine , Earl of Douglas, and Wigtown, Lord of Annandale, Galloway 13th Lord of Douglas, (1372–1424), was a Scottish nobleman and warlord.

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above. *William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas and 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425-1452), Murdered by James II. *James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas and 3rd Earl of Avondale (d.1488), the last "Black Douglas", brother of the previous, attainted 1455 and all his titles forfeit...

That biography says:

William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425 – February 22 1452), was a Scottish nobleman. He was the eldest son of James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas and Beatrice Sinclair...

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above...

That biography says:

Archibald Douglas (1390–26 June 1439), was a Scottish nobleman, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Joan Moray. He was Earl of Douglas and Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell, Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and Annandale in Scotland, and de jure Duke of Touraine, Count of Longueville, and Seigneur of Dun-le-roi in France...

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above...

That biography says:

William Douglas (c. 1424 – 24 November 1440) was a short-lived Scottish Nobleman. He was Earl of Douglas and Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell, Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and Annandale in Scotland, and de jure Duke of Touraine, Count of Longueville, and Sire of Dun-le-roi in France...
How is Earl of Douglas connected to David I of Scotland? Tell the world.

That biography says:

...From 1437 to 1439, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas, as lieutenant-general of the realm, headed the government. After his death, and with a general lack of high-status earls in Scotland because of deaths, forfeiture or youth, power became shared uneasily between William, 1st Lord Crichton, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (sometimes in co-operation with the Earl of Avondale) and Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar, who had possession of the young king as the warden of the stronghold of Stirling Castle...

This biography says:

...Through the marriage of William the Hardy, grandfather of the 1st Earl, to Eleanor de Lovaine, The Earls of Douglas could trace their ancestry to the Landgraves of Brabant, the Counts of Hainaut, and through them to Charles the Bald, grandson of the emperor Charlemagne. In the story of Sholto Douglas, his son William Douglas is a commander of forces sent by the mythical Scottish king Achaius (Eochaid?), to the court of Charlemagne to aid him in his wars against Desiderius, King of the Lombards...

This biography says:

*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384) *James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn *Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372 *Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil *Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle *James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above...

That biography says:

Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 – 14 August 1388), was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland...

This biography says:

:"Earl Douglas" redirects here; for the American radio personality see Earl Douglas (radio) This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title, Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland. The Earldom was forfeited by James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas in 1455.

That biography says:

William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1327 – 1384), was a Scottish nobleman....

That biography says:

Archibald the Grim also known as Blak (Black) Archibald (c. 1328-1400), Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell and Lord of Galloway was a Scottish nobleman....

That biography says:

...Ralston appears in the records for the first time in 1426, where he is chaplain and secretary to Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. He retained this position on the death of Douglas in 1439. Bewtween 1429 and 1443 he served as the rector of St Bride's church of Douglas, South Lanarkshire, the home church of the Douglas earls...

This biography says:

...In the story of Sholto Douglas, his son William Douglas is a commander of forces sent by the mythical Scottish king Achaius (Eochaid?), to the court of Charlemagne to aid him in his wars against Desiderius, King of the Lombards. William Douglas is said to have settled in Piacenza where his descendants became powerful local magnates, and eventual leaders of the Guelf faction of that city.

This biography says:

...Lordship of Douglas, and other estates and title devolved upon: George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus

That biography says:

The chief line of the family were the Earls of Douglas which represented the "Black" line, whereas Angus represented the "Red" Line. Both branches were descended through bastardy to William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas. The Earl of Douglas descended through Archibald the Grim, an illegitimate son of Sir James Douglas. The 4th Earl of Angus' grandfather was an illegitimate child of William, 1st Earl of Douglas...

That biography says:

This revolt of the Lord of the Isles came at a dangerous time for the king, who was involved in a serious dispute with the eighth Earl of Douglas, the most powerful noble in southern Scotland. We can probably date to this time the famous bond between Ross and Douglas, men who were hardly natural allies...

This biography says:

...The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland. The Earldom was forfeited by James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas in 1455.

That biography says:

...Archibald was succeeded by his son, William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas.
How is Earl of Douglas connected to James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus? Tell the world.
How is Earl of Douglas connected to George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus? Tell the world.
How is Earl of Douglas connected to Andrew Gray, 1st Lord Gray? Tell the world.
How is Earl of Douglas connected to Thomas Fleming, Earl of Wigtown? Tell the world.
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