Countess of Mar Isabel Douglas

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4266

Notes:

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, excluding only the Douglas lands which could only pass through the male line. After being confirmed as Countess she then became the most sought after bride in the realm and soon was married to Sir Malcolm Drummond, brother of Annabella, Queen of King Robert III. This marriage however failed to produce any children and the Countess soon became the focus of several plots to usurp her lands by scheming nobleman.

While the couple resided at the chief seat to the Earldom of Mar, Kildrummy Castle, Sir Malcolm was frequently away on royal business being the Kings brother-in-law and also one of his close advisors. It was in the year 1402 that Isabel's life would take an unexpected and tragic turn from which she would never recover. While Sir Malcolm was away at one of his other castles, he was suddenly attacked by a large group of highlanders led by the infamous Alexander Stewart, illegitimate son of the Wolf of Badenoch. Alexander then proceeded to capture the castle and put Sir Malcolm into one of his dungeons where he soon died at the hands of his captor. Because the king was by this time sick and infirm and real power was in the hands of his younger brother the Duke of Albany, Isabel was now completely isolated and was now easy prey for her husband's murderer. In the summer of 1404, Alexander and his gang of highlanders descended on her castle of Kildrummy and captured it along with the Countess and was soon able to extort from her a signed document promising to marry Alexander and give over to him all of her lands, including the earldom of Mar and lordship of the Garioch. Under normal circumstances this incident possibly would not have been allowed to stand, but Isabel had the misfortune that these events took place during the regency of the Duke of Albany who was in fact the uncle of this Alexander Stewart. Because his relation to the Royal Family and friendhip with his uncle saved him from any actual punishment, Isabel was forced to marry the man who murdered her husband and live the last four years of her life as a captive. She died in the year 1408 without children and gained a measure of revenge over Alexander when his son and heir died without children in the lifetime of his father. The earldom of Mar then reverted to the crown and was later given to John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar whose descendents hold it to this day.

From: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Douglas,_Countess_of_Mar)

Isabel — Malcolm Drummond. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 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]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 188

Notes:

Margaret of Mar (died c. 1391) 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. She had married William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, who was succeeded by their son, James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar and Garioch in right of his mother, and when he fell, leading the Scots at the battle of Otterburn.

She was succeeded by her daughter, Isabel, who became Countess of Mar, possessed the Lordship of the Garioch, and also became the Countesss of the unentailed lands of the House of Douglas.

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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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• Name: Donald II
• Reference Number: 81

Notes:

Domhnall (or Donald) II of Mar (c. 1302 in Saline, Fife - 11 August 1332) was Regent of Scotland for just over a week during the minority of David II.

His father was Gartnait, Earl of Mar, and his mother was Christina Bruce, sister of Robert I of Scotland. In 1332 the regent, Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, died. On August 2 Domhnall was elected as the new regent at a meeting of the Scottish nobles at Perth.

Following the invasion of Edward Balliol, with the support of Edward III of England, Mar led the Scots loyalists to confront them. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of Dupplin Moor, only nine days after his election as regent.

Through his marriage to Isabella Stewart they had a son Thomas, and a single daughter, Margaret, who succeeded her brother and became in her turn Countess of Mar.

From: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domhnall_II,_Earl_of_Mar)

Died:
Battle Of Dupplin Moor

Domhnall — Isabella Stewart. Isabella (daughter of Alexander Stewart) was born Abt 1300, Scotland; died 1347, Scotland. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 13595

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• Reference Number: 10562

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• Reference Number: 8777

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• Name: Gartnait mac Domhnaill
• Reference Number: 130

Notes:

Gartnait of Mar - Gartnait mac Domhnaill (Gartnait, Donald's son) - was the eighth known Mormaer of Mar, ruling from somewhere around 1301, perhaps as early as 1297, until his death in 1305. He was a son of Domhnall I of Mar, brother of Isabella of Mar and brother-in-law of Robert I of Scotland.

We last hear of his father alive in 1297, and we hear of his son Gartnait as Mormaer perhaps in 1302, and definitely by 1305. Gartnait himself is known to have collaborated with Edward in some form during the crackdown of 1297, but this does not necessarily mean any break with his father or with Robert I, whom his fathered supported.

In 1302, a document containing terms of reconciliation between Edward I of England and Robert stipulates that Robert should act as warden of Gartnait,1 implying that Gartnait's father Domhnall had just died. However, he was married to Robert's sister Christina Bruce, perhaps in 1295.

Garnait — Christina Bruce. Christina (daughter of Robert De Brus, VI and Margaret of Carrick) was born Abt 1273, Seton, East Lothian, Scotland; died Abt 1356. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 2327

Notes:

Christina (or Christian) Bruce (c. 1273 Seton, East Lothian, Scotland - 1356/1357) the second daughter of Robert de Brus, jure uxoris Earl of Carrick and Marjorie of Carrick, and an older sister of King Robert the Bruce.

Along with the king's other female relatives, she was captured shortly after his rebellion. However, she avoided the fate of her sister Mary Bruce and Isabella MacDuff (the Countess of Buchan), who were imprisoned in cages, but was sent to a convent in Lincolnshire.

She was married three times. Her husbands were Gartnait, Earl of Mar, (d. 1305) Christopher Seton (d. 1306), and lastly Sir Andrew Murray.

In 1335, during the Second War of Scottish Independence, she commanded the garrison of Kildrummy Castle and successfully held the castle against the forces of the pro-Balliol forces led by David of Strathbogie prior to their defeat by her husband, Sir Andrew Murray, at the Battle of Culblean.

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• Reference Number: 13602