George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
Encyclopedia
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1380–1403) was born at Tantallon Castle
, East Lothian
, Scotland
. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas
and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus
and Lady Abernethy
in her own right.
He was seen as the product of incest
as his mother was the widow of Earl William's wife's brother, Thomas, 13th Earl of Mar
.
Earl William's legitimate wife Margaret of Mar had already produced an heir for her Lord in 1358, James, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar
inherited upon his father's death in 1384
In 1389, Margaret of Angus relinquished her title in favour of her son, but he did not assume it until his betrothal in 1397 to the princess Mary, daughter of King Robert III. Margaret of Angus' influence must have been considerable- in addition to obtaining a royal bride for her illegitimate son, she peruaded King Robert to confirm him in his style of Earl of Angus, and also to bestow upon him the lordships of Abernethy, (Perthshire
) and Bonkill
, (Berwickshire
); and "to endow him and his spouse with the justiciary fees of the County of Forfar, to ratify all gifts, entails, and leases made or to be made by Isabel, Countess of Mar, to the said Jorge her brothir" -(Maxwell).
James 2nd Earl of Douglas
, was killed without issue in 1388, at the Battle of Otterburn
, and the Earldom of Mar, and all non-entailed Douglas possessions passed to his sister Isabel. The earldom of Douglas passed to a cousin, a bastard son of The Good Sir James Douglas
, the aptly named Archibald the Grim.
The descendants of Archibald formed the famed Black line, and those of George the equally famed and longer lived Red Line.
Angus does not appear to have taken much interest in Public life, although his name appears on various minor charters. In 1402 however, he was dispatched under orders of the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland to accompany Murdoch, Earl of Fife
and the Earl of Moray
to assist the Earl of Douglas during his invasion of Northumberland
. That incursion ended at the disastrous field of Homildon Hill, where the Scots were routed and all of the above taken prisoner. Both Moray and Angus died of the Plague
whilst captive.
, Angus had two children:
Princess Mary was to marry a further five times and bear five more children by three of these husbands. The issue by her second husband, Sir James Kennedy younger of Dunure
, were the ancestors of the Marquesses of Ailsa
; The product of her second marriage to William, 1st Lord Graham were the ancestors of the Viscounts Dundee
and the Dukes of Montrose
.
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas was a Scottish magnate.-Early Life:William Douglas was the son of Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good", Robert the Bruce's trusted deputy...
and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus
Margaret Stewart, 4th Countess of Angus
Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus and Mar was Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right. Her father was Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus....
and Lady Abernethy
Lord Abernethy
The Lord of Abernethy was from the 12th century to the 14th century the hereditary holder of the church and lands of the Scottish monastery at Abernethy. It gradually evolved alongside the title Abbot of Abernethy, displacing that term in extant sources by the end of the 13th century...
in her own right.
He was seen as the product of incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
as his mother was the widow of Earl William's wife's brother, Thomas, 13th Earl of Mar
Thomas, Earl of Mar
Thomas of Mar was a 14th century Mormaer of Mar . He was a son of Domhnall II of Mar.Thomas became Earl of Mar whilst still a child living in the Kingdom of England, and it took several years for Thomas to return to the Kingdom of Scotland and take charge of his inheritance...
.
Earl William's legitimate wife Margaret of Mar had already produced an heir for her Lord in 1358, James, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.-Early life:He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar...
inherited upon his father's death in 1384
In 1389, Margaret of Angus relinquished her title in favour of her son, but he did not assume it until his betrothal in 1397 to the princess Mary, daughter of King Robert III. Margaret of Angus' influence must have been considerable- in addition to obtaining a royal bride for her illegitimate son, she peruaded King Robert to confirm him in his style of Earl of Angus, and also to bestow upon him the lordships of Abernethy, (Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
) and Bonkill
Bonkyll Castle
Bonkyll Castle was a medieval fortress situated in the eastern Scottish Borders of which little remains...
, (Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
); and "to endow him and his spouse with the justiciary fees of the County of Forfar, to ratify all gifts, entails, and leases made or to be made by Isabel, Countess of Mar, to the said Jorge her brothir" -(Maxwell).
James 2nd Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.-Early life:He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar...
, was killed without issue in 1388, at the Battle of Otterburn
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place on the 5 August 1388, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scottish and English.The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle...
, and the Earldom of Mar, and all non-entailed Douglas possessions passed to his sister Isabel. The earldom of Douglas passed to a cousin, a bastard son of The Good Sir James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
, the aptly named Archibald the Grim.
The descendants of Archibald formed the famed Black line, and those of George the equally famed and longer lived Red Line.
Angus does not appear to have taken much interest in Public life, although his name appears on various minor charters. In 1402 however, he was dispatched under orders of the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland to accompany Murdoch, Earl of Fife
Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty. In 1389 he was Justiciar North of the Forth. In 1402 he was captured at the Battle of Homildon Hill and would...
and the Earl of Moray
Thomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of Moray
Thomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of Moray inherited the title before 15 February 1392. In 1388 he displaced Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan as the provider of protection to Alexander Bur, Bishop of Moray and his church lands—following Buchan's burning of Elgin Cathedral in 1390 this agreement was...
to assist the Earl of Douglas during his invasion of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. That incursion ended at the disastrous field of Homildon Hill, where the Scots were routed and all of the above taken prisoner. Both Moray and Angus died of the Plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
whilst captive.
Issue
By his wife, Mary of Scotland, Countess of Angus, a daughter of King Robert III of ScotlandRobert 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...
, Angus had two children:
- William Douglas, 2nd Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 2nd Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and soldier. The son of George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus and Princess Mary of Scotland, he was a grandson of King Robert III....
(1398–1437) - Elizabeth Douglas
-
- m1 Sir Alexander Forbes, later 1st Lord ForbesAlexander Forbes, 1st Lord ForbesAlexander de Forbes , 1st Lord Forbes , also feudal baron of Forbes, was a Scottish nobleman.-Life:He was the eldest son of Sir Alexander de Forbes Alexander de Forbes , 1st Lord Forbes (c. 1380-1448), also feudal baron of Forbes, was a Scottish nobleman.-Life:He was the eldest son of Sir Alexander...
- m2 Sir David Hay of Yester
- m1 Sir Alexander Forbes, later 1st Lord Forbes
Princess Mary was to marry a further five times and bear five more children by three of these husbands. The issue by her second husband, Sir James Kennedy younger of Dunure
Dunure
Dunure is a small village in the South Ayrshire area of Scotland. Located on the coast of the Firth of Clyde, Dunure is near to Maybole.-The villages:...
, were the ancestors of the Marquesses of Ailsa
Marquess of Ailsa
Marquess of Ailsa, of the Isle of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassillis. The title Earl of Cassillis had been created in 1509 for the 3rd Lord Kennedy. This title had been...
; The product of her second marriage to William, 1st Lord Graham were the ancestors of the Viscounts Dundee
Viscount of Dundee
The titles of Viscount Dundee and Lord Graham of Claverhouse in the Peerage of Scotland were created on 12 November 1688 for John Graham. The third viscount forfeited both titles in 1690.-Viscounts Dundee :...
and the Dukes of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
.
Sources
- Maxwell, Sir Herbert.A History of the House of Douglas. Freemantle, London 1902
- Godscroft, David Hume ofDavid Hume of GodscroftDavid Hume was a Scottish historian and political theorist, poet and controversialist, a major intellectual figure in Jacobean Scotland. He also spent a decade as pastor of a Protestant congregation in France.-Life:...
. Ane Historie of the House and Race of Douglas and Angus. Edinburgh 1646 - Brown, MichaelMichael Brown (historian)Michael Brown MA, PhD , is a Scottish medievalist lecturing at the University of St Andrews. In 1991 he was the recipient of the Royal Historical Society's David Berry Prize. His full volume on the reign of King James I of Scotland led to the award of the Agnes Mure prize for Scottish history...
. The Black Douglases. Tuckwell press, East Linton, East Lothian 1998 - From the Bloody Heart, Oliver Thomson. Sutton, Stroud, Gloucs. 2003