Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
Encyclopedia
Archibald Douglas was a Scottish
nobleman and General, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter of Robert III
. 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. In contemporary French sources, he was known as Victon, a phonetic translation of his Earldom of Wigtown.
He fought with the French at Baugé
in 1421, and was made count of Longueville in Normandy
. He succeeded to his father's English and Scottish titles in 1424, though he never drew on his father's French estates of the Duchy of Touraine
. Douglas served as ambassador to England in 1424, during the ransoming of James I
.
He also sat on the jury of 21 knights and peers which convicted Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany and two of his sons of treason in 1424, leading to the execution of Albany and the virtual annihilation of his family.
Following the murder of King James I of Scotland
at Perth in 1437, Douglas was appointed Lieutenant General
of Scotland, and held the office of Regent, during the minority of James II
until to 1439. Douglas died from a fever in Restalrig
, Midlothian
, and was buried at Douglas
.
, and Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn
. They had three children.
Both sons were summarily beheaded at Edinburgh Castle
on trumped up charges, in the presence of the young King James II
. The so-called 'Black Dinner' thus broke the power of the 'Black' Douglases. The lordships of Annandale and Bothwell fell to the crown, Galloway to Margaret Douglas, and the Douglas lands and earldom passed to William's great-uncle James Douglas, Earl of Avondale
, who was himself implicated, with Sir William Crichton, in the murder of the young earl.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
nobleman and General, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter of Robert III
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
. He was Earl of Douglas
Earl of Douglas
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...
and Wigtown
Earl of Wigtown
The title of Earl of Wigtown was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation was in 1341, and was surrendered in 1372, when the second earl sold the earldom and territory to Archibald the Grim , Lord of Galloway...
, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell
Bothwell
Bothwell is a small town in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, nine miles east-south-east of Glasgow city centre....
, Selkirk and Ettrick Forest
Ettrick Forest
Ettrick Forest is a former royal forest in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.It is a large area of moorland, south of Peebles, stretching from Dollar Law to Selkirk.-See also:*James Hogg*Craik Forest*Wauchope Forest...
, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and Annandale
Lord of Annandale
The Lord of Annandale was a sub-comital lordship in southern Scotland established by David I of Scotland by 1124 for his follower Robert de Brus...
in Scotland, and de jure Duke of Touraine
Duke of Touraine
Duke of Touraine was a title in the Peerage of France, relating to Touraine.It was first created in 1360 for Philip, youngest son of King John II of France. He returned the duchy to the Crown in 1363 on being made Duke of Burgundy and died in 1404....
, Count of Longueville, and Seigneur
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
of Dun-le-roi in France. In contemporary French sources, he was known as Victon, a phonetic translation of his Earldom of Wigtown.
He fought with the French at Baugé
Battle of Baugé
The Battle of Baugé, fought between the English and the Franco-Scots on 21 March 1421 in Baugé, France, east of Angers, was a major defeat for the English in the Hundred Years' War...
in 1421, and was made count of Longueville in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He succeeded to his father's English and Scottish titles in 1424, though he never drew on his father's French estates of the Duchy of Touraine
Duke of Touraine
Duke of Touraine was a title in the Peerage of France, relating to Touraine.It was first created in 1360 for Philip, youngest son of King John II of France. He returned the duchy to the Crown in 1363 on being made Duke of Burgundy and died in 1404....
. Douglas served as ambassador to England in 1424, during the ransoming of James I
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
.
He also sat on the jury of 21 knights and peers which convicted Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany and two of his sons of treason in 1424, leading to the execution of Albany and the virtual annihilation of his family.
Following the murder of King James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
at Perth in 1437, Douglas was appointed Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
of Scotland, and held the office of Regent, during the minority of James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
until to 1439. Douglas died from a fever in Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, and was buried at Douglas
Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Douglas is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the south bank of the Douglas Water and on the A70 road that links Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, to Edinburgh on the East, around 12 miles south west of Lanark. The placename is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Old Gaelic...
.
Marriage and issue
Between 1423 and 1425 he married Eupheme Graham (before 1413–1468), daughter of Patrick Graham, de jure uxoris Earl of StrathearnEarl of Strathearn
The Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
, and Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn
Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn
Euphemia Stewart was a medieval Scottish noblewoman, the daughter of David Stewart, Earl Palatine of Strathearn and Caithness. She succeeded to both her father's titles after his death between 1385 and 1389, probably March 1386....
. They had three children.
- William DouglasWilliam Douglas, 6th Earl of DouglasWilliam Douglas 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...
(c.1424–24 November 1440), who briefly succeeded as 6th Earl - Margaret Douglas, Fair Lady of Galloway (before 1435–1475)
- David Douglas (before 1439–24 November 1440)
Both sons were summarily beheaded at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
on trumped up charges, in the presence of the young King James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
. The so-called 'Black Dinner' thus broke the power of the 'Black' Douglases. The lordships of Annandale and Bothwell fell to the crown, Galloway to Margaret Douglas, and the Douglas lands and earldom passed to William's great-uncle James Douglas, Earl of Avondale
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale , known as "the Gross", was a Scottish nobleman. He was the second son of Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas and Joan Moray of Bothwell and Drumsargard , d...
, who was himself implicated, with Sir William Crichton, in the murder of the young earl.
Sources
- The Scots Peerage, Balfour Paul, Sir JamesJames Balfour PaulSir James Balfour Paul, KCVO was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland, from 1890 until the end of 1926....
, Edinburgh 1904 - A History of the House of Douglas, Maxwell, Sir Herbert. London 1902
- thepeerage.com