1st Earl of Douglas-Mar William Douglas

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• Reference Number: 4262

Notes:

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

Early Life:

He was the son of Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good", Bruce's trusted deputy. From the time of his father's death at Halidon Hill, he is decribed as being a ward of his kinsman and godfather, William Douglas, Knight of Liddesdale and being 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 in his wardship, 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 was using 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 in the style of his uncle the Good Sir James for the following few years to wage guerrilla war against the English in the Ettrick and Jedforests. Douglas is next heard of being one of the commissioners to treat with the English for the release of King David.

Death of the Knight of Liddesdale:

In 1353 Baliol was ensconced at Buittle in his ancestral territories in Galloway, Douglas lead a raid there to eject him as due to Baliol's forfeiture those lands 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 at 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 Castle 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.

Earl of Douglas and Mar:

Douglas was created Earl of Douglas 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.

Marriage and Issue:

William, Earl of Douglas married in 1357, Margaret, Countess of Mar and had two children:

James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388)
Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar (1360-1408)

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:

George Douglas, inherited the estates of Angus and was later created Earl of Angus.
Margaret Douglas, received in 1404 the lands of Bonjedward from her sister Isabel of Mar.

From: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Douglas,_1st_Earl_of_Douglas)

Buried:
Melrose Abbey

William — Margaret of Mar. Margaret (daughter of Domhnall II of Mar and Isabella Stewart) died Abt 1391. [Group Sheet]

1. Isabel Douglas was born Abt 1360, Scotland; died 1408, Scotland.
2. James Douglas was born Abt 1358, Scotland; died 14 Aug 1388, Otterburn, Northumberland, England; was buried , Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland.

William — Margaret Stewart. Margaret (daughter of Thomas Stewart and Margaret St. Clair) died 1417. [Group Sheet]

1. George Douglas was born 1378, Scotland; died 1412, England.

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• Reference Number: 10561

Notes:

Sir Archibald Douglas was the son of Sir William 'Le Hardi' of Douglas. He was born before 1298. He died on 19 July 1333, slain.

He held the office of Regent of Scotland between April 1333 and July 1333.

Archibald — Beatrice Lindsay. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 8774

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• Reference Number: 10562

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• Reference Number: 8777

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• Reference Number: 10559