William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
Encyclopedia
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1327–1384) was a Scottish
magnate.
and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good"
, Robert the Bruce
's trusted deputy. From the time of his father's death at Halidon Hill
, he is described as being a ward of his kinsman and godfather, William Douglas, Knight of Liddesdale
and was educated in France. In 1342, under pressure from Liddesdale, his uncle Hugh the Dull resigned the Lordship of Douglas to him, though Liddesdale rapaciously administered his estates while it was in his ward-ship, and assumed direct ownership of some of the Douglas territories.
Douglas returned to Scotland, upon reaching his majority in 1348, and immediately started to put his house in order. In 1346-47 following the Battle of Neville's Cross
, King David II
, and other nobility, including Liddesdale, were held captive by the English. Edward Baliol used the opportunity to ravage the whole of the south of Scotland. Douglas gathered his men and drove the English out from his ancestral lands of Douglasdale. Douglas went in the style of his uncle, the Good Sir James, and for the following few years waged guerrilla war against the English in the Ettrick Forest
and Jedforest
s.
Douglas next became one of the commissioners to negotiate with the English for the release of David II of Scotland
.
in his ancestral territories in Galloway
. Douglas led a raid there to eject him due to Baliol's forfeiture of those lands that had been made over to Sir James Douglas in 1324. Following this raid, returning through the Forest, Douglas came across Liddesdale hunting on what Douglas viewed as his desmesne. This was the match that lit the fuse of years of resentment over Liddesdale's assumption of the Douglas patrimony not withstanding Liddesdale's murder of Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie. Liddesdale once in high standing with the Crown, had fallen into disfavour following his murder of Ramsay and another Knight, Sir David de Barclay. Liddesdale was set upon and killed. In February 1354, William of Douglas received a new charter from King David bestowing all the lands held by his uncle Sir James, his father Sir Archibald, and Liddesdale itself.
in retaliation. One of Douglas' captains, Sir William Ramsay of Dalhousie, was instructed to despoil the lands around Norham and burn the town in an effort to entice the garrison out to battle. Ramsay did so and the English under the castle's constable, Sir Thomas Grey of Heaton and Lord Dacre
, gave chase. Douglas and March meanwhile were encamped seven miles away in woodland to the south of Duns
, when Ramsay had reached them. The English pursuers were ambushed by the Scots force, and completely overwhelmed. Following this Battle of Nesbit Moor
, Douglas and March joined with the Earl of Angus
in making an assault upon Berwick, but the Scots had to retire from there before the advancing army of Edward III
. King Edward laid waste to the Lothians in an event that would be known as the "Burnt Candlemas". His supply lines were overstretched, and following the sinking of his fleet, and the Scots scorched earth policy, Edward had to turn homewards, but not before being ambushed and nearly taken by Lord Douglas's men outside Melrose. Following Edward's retreat into England, Douglas arranged a truce with William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
that would last until Michaelmas.
He also arranged a Safe conduct to visit the captive King David. Following this Douglas crossed with a large following to France and took up arms with Jean le Bon
against the Black Prince. Douglas was present at the Battle of Poitiers
where he was knighted by the French King. Douglas fought in the King's own Battle
, but when the fight seemed over Douglas was dragged by his men from the melee. Froissart states that "... the Earl Douglas of Scotland, who fought a season valiantly, but when he saw the discomfiture he departed and saved himself; for in no wise would he be taken by the Englishmen, he would rather there be slain". After the defeat there Douglas escaped, but left a number of his men either slain or captive, including his first cousin latterly the 3rd Earl of Douglas, Archibald the Grim.
Douglas returned to Scotland by mid Autumn, and was involved in peace negotiations with the English, one aspect of the treaty was the creation of March Wardens
of which Douglas was one. Under the auspice of this office, Douglas seized Hermitage Castle
in Liddesdale from the English in response to their depredations on Eskdale
. Douglas was part of the parliament that met at Berwick in 1357, which finalised the release of King David through the Treaty of Berwick
, Douglas himself being one of the securities for his release.
on the 26th January 1358. . In 1364, he joined David II in seeking a treaty with England which would have written off Scotland's debt to England in return for depriving his nephew, Robert the Steward, formerly an ally of Douglas, of the succession. Edward III's
son, Lionel of Antwerp, would have taken the Scottish throne, although the independence of Scotland was to be guaranteed, and a special clause provided for the restoration of the English estates of the Douglas family.
The plan never succeeded and, on the accession of Robert II
, Douglas was nevertheless reconciled and appointed Justiciar South of the Forth
in 1372. The last years of his life were spent in making and repelling border raids. He died at Douglas
in May 1384.
and had two children:
The Earl of Douglas also fathered an illegitimate son by his wife's sister-in-law, Margaret Stewart
, widow of Thomas, Earl of Mar
and Countess of Angus in her own right:
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...
magnate.
Early Life
William Douglas was the son of Sir Archibald DouglasSir Archibald Douglas
Sir Archibald Douglas was a Scottish noble, Guardian of Scotland and military leader. He is sometimes given the epithet "Tyneman" , but this may be a reference to his great-nephew Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas.-Early life:The younger son of Sir William "le Hardi" Douglas, the Governor of...
and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good"
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
, Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
's trusted deputy. From the time of his father's death at Halidon Hill
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill was fought during the Second War of Scottish Independence. Scottish forces under Sir Archibald Douglas were heavily defeated on unfavourable terrain while trying to relieve Berwick-upon-Tweed.-The Disinherited:...
, he is described as being a ward of his kinsman and godfather, William Douglas, Knight of Liddesdale
William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale
Sir William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale was also known as the Knight of Liddesdale and the Flower of Chivalry. He was a Scottish nobleman and soldier active during the Second War of Scottish Independence.-Family:...
and was educated in France. In 1342, under pressure from Liddesdale, his uncle Hugh the Dull resigned the Lordship of Douglas to him, though Liddesdale rapaciously administered his estates while it was in his ward-ship, and assumed direct ownership of some of the Douglas territories.
Douglas returned to Scotland, upon reaching his majority in 1348, and immediately started to put his house in order. In 1346-47 following the Battle of Neville's Cross
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place to the west of Durham, England on 17 October 1346.-Background:In 1346, England was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with France. In order to divert his enemy Philip VI of France appealed to David II of Scotland to attack the English from the north in...
, King David II
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
, and other nobility, including Liddesdale, were held captive by the English. Edward Baliol used the opportunity to ravage the whole of the south of Scotland. Douglas gathered his men and drove the English out from his ancestral lands of Douglasdale. Douglas went in the style of his uncle, the Good Sir James, and for the following few years waged guerrilla war against the English in the 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...
and Jedforest
Jedforest
Jedforest is an historic forest in the Scottish Borders, that has been heavily wooded in the past.The forest is home to the widespreading Capon tree. It is an oak known as "King of the Woods" and thought to be in excess of 2,000 years old. It has a girth of 17 feet, measured four feet from the...
s.
Douglas next became one of the commissioners to negotiate with the English for the release of David II of Scotland
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
.
Death of the Knight of Liddesdale
In 1353, Baliol was ensconced at BuittleBuittle
Buittle is an ecclesiastical and former civil parish in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in the South West of Scotland.-History:The name is ancient, as it is derived from the Northumbrian term boðl, settlement or Hamlet. Northumbrian expansion into what was the kingdoms of Rheged and Strathclyde in...
in his ancestral territories in Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
. Douglas led a raid there to eject him due to Baliol's forfeiture of those lands that had been made over to Sir James Douglas in 1324. Following this raid, returning through the Forest, Douglas came across Liddesdale hunting on what Douglas viewed as his desmesne. This was the match that lit the fuse of years of resentment over Liddesdale's assumption of the Douglas patrimony not withstanding Liddesdale's murder of Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie. Liddesdale once in high standing with the Crown, had fallen into disfavour following his murder of Ramsay and another Knight, Sir David de Barclay. Liddesdale was set upon and killed. In February 1354, William of Douglas received a new charter from King David bestowing all the lands held by his uncle Sir James, his father Sir Archibald, and Liddesdale itself.
War with England and Battle of Poitiers
In 1355 the truce with England expired and Douglas with the Earl of Dunbar and March, whose lands had been ravaged, decided to take Norham CastleNorham Castle
Norham Castle is a partly ruined castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
in retaliation. One of Douglas' captains, Sir William Ramsay of Dalhousie, was instructed to despoil the lands around Norham and burn the town in an effort to entice the garrison out to battle. Ramsay did so and the English under the castle's constable, Sir Thomas Grey of Heaton and Lord Dacre
William Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre
William Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre was an English peer. In the final months of his life he was also 3rd Baron Multon of Gilsland...
, gave chase. Douglas and March meanwhile were encamped seven miles away in woodland to the south of Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
, when Ramsay had reached them. The English pursuers were ambushed by the Scots force, and completely overwhelmed. Following this Battle of Nesbit Moor
Battle of Nesbit Moor (1355)
The Battle of Nesbit Moor was an engagement fought in August ,1355 between forces of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England.-Background:...
, Douglas and March joined with the Earl of Angus
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus was a medieval Scottish nobleman.He was the son of John Stewart of Bonkyll and Margaret de Abernethy. Stewart was an infant when his father died and inherited his estates and titles in Berwickshire, Abernethy and Angus.In 1353 he married Margaret Sinclair, a...
in making an assault upon Berwick, but the Scots had to retire from there before the advancing army of Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. King Edward laid waste to the Lothians in an event that would be known as the "Burnt Candlemas". His supply lines were overstretched, and following the sinking of his fleet, and the Scots scorched earth policy, Edward had to turn homewards, but not before being ambushed and nearly taken by Lord Douglas's men outside Melrose. Following Edward's retreat into England, Douglas arranged a truce with William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG was an English nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward...
that would last until Michaelmas.
He also arranged a Safe conduct to visit the captive King David. Following this Douglas crossed with a large following to France and took up arms with Jean le Bon
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
against the Black Prince. Douglas was present at the Battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
where he was knighted by the French King. Douglas fought in the King's own Battle
Battle (formation)
A battle or battaile was a medieval military formation, analogous and ancestral to the modern term battalion. In late medieval warfare, field armies were often drawn up into three main battles, also called guards: the vanguard, the middle guard, and the rearguard, often abbreviated to simply the...
, but when the fight seemed over Douglas was dragged by his men from the melee. Froissart states that "... the Earl Douglas of Scotland, who fought a season valiantly, but when he saw the discomfiture he departed and saved himself; for in no wise would he be taken by the Englishmen, he would rather there be slain". After the defeat there Douglas escaped, but left a number of his men either slain or captive, including his first cousin latterly the 3rd Earl of Douglas, Archibald the Grim.
Douglas returned to Scotland by mid Autumn, and was involved in peace negotiations with the English, one aspect of the treaty was the creation of March Wardens
Lord Warden of the Marches
The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action....
of which Douglas was one. Under the auspice of this office, Douglas seized Hermitage Castle
Hermitage Castle
Hermitage Castle is a semi-ruined castle in the border region of Scotland. It is under the care of Historic Scotland. The Castle has a reputation, both from its history and its appearance, as one of the most sinister and atmospheric in Scotland....
in Liddesdale from the English in response to their depredations on Eskdale
Eskdale
-United Kingdom:*Eskdale, Cumbria, England*Eskdale, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland*Eskdale, North Yorkshire, England*Eskdale , Cumberland, England, former constituency-United States:...
. Douglas was part of the parliament that met at Berwick in 1357, which finalised the release of King David through the Treaty of Berwick
Treaty of Berwick (1357)
The Treaty of Berwick, signed at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scotland, in 1357, officially ended the Second War of Scottish Independence. In this second phase of the Wars of Scottish Independence, which began in 1333, King Edward III of England attempted to install Edward Balliol on the Scottish throne, in...
, Douglas himself being one of the securities for his release.
Earl of Douglas and Mar
Douglas was created Earl of DouglasEarl 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...
on the 26th January 1358. . In 1364, he joined David II in seeking a treaty with England which would have written off Scotland's debt to England in return for depriving his nephew, Robert the Steward, formerly an ally of Douglas, of the succession. Edward III's
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
son, Lionel of Antwerp, would have taken the Scottish throne, although the independence of Scotland was to be guaranteed, and a special clause provided for the restoration of the English estates of the Douglas family.
The plan never succeeded and, on the accession of Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, Douglas was nevertheless reconciled and appointed Justiciar South of the Forth
Justiciar of Lothian
The Justiciar of Lothian was an important legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland.The Justiciars of Lothian were responsible for the administration of royal justice in the province of Lothian, a much larger area than the modern Lothian, covering Scotland south of the Forth and Clyde,...
in 1372. The last years of his life were spent in making and repelling border raids. He died 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...
in May 1384.
Marriage and Issue
William, Earl of Douglas married in 1357, Margaret, Countess of MarMargaret, Countess of Mar
Margaret of Mar was Countess of Mar, an ancient Earldom in Scotland, in her own right.She was a daughter of Domhnall II of Mar and after the death of her childless brother Thomas became Countess of Mar...
and had two children:
- James Douglas, 2nd Earl of DouglasJames Douglas, 2nd Earl of DouglasSir 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...
(1358-1388) - Isabel Douglas, Countess of MarIsabel Douglas, Countess of MarIsabel Douglas, Countess of Mar was Countess of Mar.Isabel was the sister of the famous James 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar, who died leading the Scots to victory at the Battle of Otterburn. He died without any legitimate children and his sister Isabel inherited most of his property,...
(1360-1408)
The Earl of Douglas also fathered an illegitimate son by his wife's sister-in-law, Margaret Stewart
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....
, widow of Thomas, 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...
and Countess of Angus in her own right:
- George DouglasGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus 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....
, inherited the estates of Angus and was later created Earl of AngusEarl of AngusThe Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton.-Mormaers:...
.
- Margaret Douglas, received in 1404 the lands of BonjedwardBonjedwardBonjedward is a hamlet in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, two miles north of Jedburgh where the River Teviot joins the River Tweed.The village stands on a ridge of land formed by the approach of the Teviot and Jed Water towards their junction...
from her sister Isabel of Mar.
Sources
- 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...
, Black Douglases: War and Lordship in Late Medieval Scotland, 1300-1455. Tuckwell Press. 1998 - Brenan, Gerald, A History of the House of Percy II vols. London 1902
- Fordun, John ofJohn of FordunJohn of Fordun was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th century; and it is probable that he was a chaplain in the St Machar's Cathedral of...
, Chronica Gentis Scotorum, ed.Skene, W.F.William Forbes SkeneWilliam Forbes Skene , Scottish historian and antiquary, was the second son of Sir Walter Scott's friend, James Skene , of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen....
, Edinburgh 1871.http://www.archive.org/details/johannisdefordun01ford - Fraser, Sir WilliamWilliam Fraser (historian)Sir William Fraser, KCB, was a solicitor and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography, and genealogy....
, The Douglas Book IV vols. Edinburgh. 1885 - The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 http://www.rps.ac.uk/, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2011).
- FroissartJean FroissartJean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
Chronicles, trans. Lord BernersJohn Bourchier, 2nd Baron BernersJohn Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners was a statesman and translator, born at Sherfield, Hertfordshire, England, to Sir Humphrey Bourchier and Elizabeth Tilney, and educated at Oxford University. He held various Offices of State, including that of Chancellor of the Exchequer to King Henry VIII, and...
, ed. Macaulay, G.C.George Campbell MacaulayGeorge Campbell Macaulay , also known as G. C. Macaulay, was a noted English Classical scholar. He was the father of the well-known English author Rose Macaulay.-Family:...
. London 1904.http://www.archive.org/details/chroniclesoffroi00froiuoft - Grey, Sir ThomasThomas Grey (chronicler)Sir Thomas Grey of Heton , Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, was an English chronicler.-Family:He was a son of the Sir Thomas de Grey of Heaton , who was taken prisoner by the Scots at Bannockburn, and his wife Agnes Sir Thomas Grey of Heton (near Norham), Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland,...
, Scalacronica, trans. Maxwell. Glasgow 1904.http://www.archive.org/details/scalacronicareig01grayuoft - Maxwell, Sir Herbert, A History of the House of Douglas II vols. London. 1902
- Sadler, JohnJohn Sadler (historian)John Sadler is a British historian specialising in the Anglo-Scottish Border conflicts during the Middle Ages. Saddler is a regular contributor to military and historical journals and has published a number of books on the subject...
, Border Fury-England and Scotland at War 1296-1568. Pearson Education. 2005.