Earl of Douglas
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The title of Earl of Douglas was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale, Regent of Scotland and nephew of The Good Sir James Douglas.
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[edit] Black and Red Douglases
Following the death of the 2nd Earl at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 without legitimate issue, the Earldom passed to a bastard son of 'The Good Sir James', the poetically named Archibald the Grim, the Lord of Galloway. This occurred through articles of special entail in the resignation of title by Hugh 'the Dull', Lord of Douglas. George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus the bastard son of the 1st Earl by his sister-in law Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus, inherited his mother's Earldom of Angus. Retrospectively the two branches of Douglas and Angus were described as the Black and Red lines respectively.
The Black Douglases fell from power and were attainted by King James II in 1455. The seventh Earl was created Earl of Avondale and Lord Balveny in 1437, also in the Peerage of Scotland. These titles also became forfeit in 1455.
The title of Douglas was restored in 1633 for the 'Red' Douglas line, when William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus (1589-1660), was created First Marquess of Douglas by Charles I.
[edit] Lords of Douglas
- William, Lord of Douglas(c.1174-c.1213)
- Archibald, Lord of Douglas (d.c.1240)
- William 'Longleg', Lord of Douglas (c.1220-c.1274)
- William 'The Hardy', Lord of Douglas (c.1240-1298) Died captive int the Tower of London
- James 'The Good', Lord of Douglas (c.1290-1330) Killed at the Battle of Teba
- William II Douglas, Lord of Douglas (d.1333) Killed at the Battle of Halidon Hill
- Hugh 'the Dull', Lord of Douglas (resigned Lordship1342 d. afterward)
- William, Lord of Douglas (1327-1384) Created first Earl 1568.
[edit] Earls of Douglas (1358)
- William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (1327-1384)
- James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358-1388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn
- Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (1325-1400) "the Grim", Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown 1372
- Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1370-1424) Duke of Touraine, killed at the Battle of Verneuil
- Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390-1439), son of the above
- William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1426-1440) , Murdered at the Black dinner at Edinburgh Castle
- James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (d.1443) "the Gross" created Earl of Avondale in 1437, murderer and uncle of above.
- William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas and 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425-1452), Murdered by James II.
- James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas and 3rd Earl of Avondale (d.1488), the last "Black Douglas", brother of the previous, attainted 1455 and all his titles forfeit
[edit] See also
[edit] Red Douglas
- Earl of Angus, later Marquess of Douglas and Duke of Douglas.
- This line is represented now by the Duke of Hamilton
[edit] Other lines
- Earl of Home, in the capacity of Lord Douglas of that Ilk
- Earl of Queensberry, later Marquess of Queensberry and Duke of Queensberry.
- Earl of Morton
