There are many legends of the origin of this powerful family but, remarkably, a definitive account has never been established. It is believed that the name was derived from Douglas Water in Lanarkshire, and the first record of the name appears in the late 12th century.
Sir William Douglas, “le Hardi” (c. 1243 - c. 1298), was governor of the Borders town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, when it was besieged by the English. Douglas was taken prisoner and forced to swear loyalty to the English king, Edward I, although he later fought alongside William Wallace for the independence of Scotland. Berwick-upon-Tweed was founded in Saxon times and has changed hands many times between Scotland and England. (Today Berwick-upon-Tweed is in Northumberland, England, and is still only three miles from the Scottish border...)
His son, the “Good Sir James” or “The Black Douglas” (c. 1286-1330), was a close companion to Robert the Bruce, and he fulfilled his king’s dying wish by carrying Robert’s heart into battle against the Moors in Spain, where he himself was killed.
The fortunes of the Douglas family increased with the marriage of James, 2nd Earl of Douglas (c. 1358-1388), to a princess of the Royal House of Stewart. By the middle of the 15th century they had accumulated so much power that they were regarded as a danger to the stability of the nation. In 1440 the 6th Earl was executed after being lured to Edinburgh Castle by an invitation to dine with the young King James II. In 1452 the 8th Earl was murdered by James II and others at Stirling Castle.
In 1455 the line of the Earls of Douglas was extinguished when the 9th Earl (1426-1488), James, fled to England and forfeited the estates. The Earls of Angus then became the principal line of the clan and they too became a powerful political force.
Sir William Douglas, “le Hardi” (c. 1243 - c. 1298), was governor of the Borders town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, when it was besieged by the English. Douglas was taken prisoner and forced to swear loyalty to the English king, Edward I, although he later fought alongside William Wallace for the independence of Scotland. Berwick-upon-Tweed was founded in Saxon times and has changed hands many times between Scotland and England. (Today Berwick-upon-Tweed is in Northumberland, England, and is still only three miles from the Scottish border...)
His son, the “Good Sir James” or “The Black Douglas” (c. 1286-1330), was a close companion to Robert the Bruce, and he fulfilled his king’s dying wish by carrying Robert’s heart into battle against the Moors in Spain, where he himself was killed.
The fortunes of the Douglas family increased with the marriage of James, 2nd Earl of Douglas (c. 1358-1388), to a princess of the Royal House of Stewart. By the middle of the 15th century they had accumulated so much power that they were regarded as a danger to the stability of the nation. In 1440 the 6th Earl was executed after being lured to Edinburgh Castle by an invitation to dine with the young King James II. In 1452 the 8th Earl was murdered by James II and others at Stirling Castle.
In 1455 the line of the Earls of Douglas was extinguished when the 9th Earl (1426-1488), James, fled to England and forfeited the estates. The Earls of Angus then became the principal line of the clan and they too became a powerful political force.