William, 1st Earl of Douglas
(c. 1323 - 5/1/1384)
Official Seal of William,
1st Earl of Douglas
William, 1st Earl of Douglas, was born circa 1323 to Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice de Lindsay. At his father's death during the Battle of Halidon Hill, William was entrusted to the care of his godfather, Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale.
Sir William, a man of considerable financial means, sent young William to France to complete his education. However, this seemingly noble act may have been viewed by young William as a means to usurp his considerable inheritance. Indeed, Sir William quickly became the lord of William's holdings, and appears to have considered much of the property his own. This action would become a serious point of contention between the two men in later years.
Sir William was captured by English forces following the Battle of Neville's Cross, thereby leaving southern Scotland vulnerable. In due course, Edward Baliol took advantage of the situation and conducted numerous raids throughout the countryside.
Amid the chaos inflicted by the English and Baliol, William returned to Scotland upon completing his studies in France. A natural and gifted leader, William amassed a force of men who handily extracted the English from his holdings in Douglasdale. William's animus towards the English fueled a brutal guerrilla campaign against British strongholds in Jedforest, Ettrick Forest, and other regions of southern Scotland.
As William's military prowess and reputation grew, he was nominated a commissioner to represent Scotland in negotiations for the release of King David II, who had been held captive by the English for several years.
During his military campaigns of 1353, wherein he successfully defeated Edward Baliol's forces at Buittle, William encountered his godfather, Sir William, engaged in a hunting expedition on his lands. Sir William, who had previously murdered Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie and Sir David de Barclay, was no longer under the protection of the British Crown, and continued to be a source of resentment for William. Consequently, William killed Sir William and reclaimed the properties taken from him during his youth. Moreover, through royal charter, William was able to secure Sir William's properties at Liddesdale, as well as those of his uncle, the Good Sir James.
Edward Baliol
ca. 1283 - 1367
With his territories now secure, William married Margaret of Mar, daughter of Domhnall II, Earl of Mar, and Isabella Stewart in 1357. Together, they had issue:
a) James, 2nd Earl of Douglas (c. 1358 - 8/14/1388)
b) Lady Isabel, Countess of Mar (1360 - 1408)
Researchers have determined that William was also the father of at least two additional children with his mistress (and wife of his brother-in-law), Margaret Stewart. The couple had issue:
a) George (1380 - 1403); later Earl of Angus
b) Lady Margaret (ca. 1381 - ca. 1425); first Laird of Bonjedward
Some researchers also note yet another mistress, with whom William had issue:
a) Joan (DU); married William Dacre, 5th Baron Dacre
The identity of Joan's mother is still a matter of debate among researchers, although her social standing suggests noble maternity.
Following the expiration of a truce In 1355, English troops began laying siege to Scottish lands. Among those attacked was Patrick de Dunbar, 9th Earl of March. Dunbar and William joined forces and moved toward Norham Castle in Northumberland, England. While encamped south of Duns, William instructed one of his chief captains, Sir William Ramsay of Dalhousie, to raid and burn the town near the castle, which he did with considerable efficiency. Upon hearing of the destruction, defenders of the castle, Sir Thomas Grey and Lord William Dacre, pursued Ramsay's forces. Anticipating the pursuit, Scottish forces lay in wait and easily overpowered the troops commanded by Grey and Dacre at the Battle of Nesbit Moor.
Norham Castle
Northumberland, England
William and Sir Patrick, now supported by forces under Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus, laid siege on Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. Upon receiving word of the Scottish assault, King Edward III advanced a massive army to repel the onslaught. With knowledge of the English approach, Scottish forces moved vital agricultural supplies and livestock north, thereby reducing possible provisions for the invading army. Arriving at Berwickshire and East Lothian in February of 1356, Edward laid waste to the region in an action that would forever be known as Burnt Candlemass. The brutality of the raid cannot be understated as every structure in sight, including churches, were violently burned to the ground.
Following the siege of Berwickshire and East Lothian, English forces moved north toward Edinburgh. Their advance was halted by a drastic shortage of supplies due to the earlier evacuation by the Scots. Additionally, Scottish forces had been successful in destroying a fleet of ships dispatched to provide relief for English troops in the field. Facing a harsh Scottish winter without adequate food and supplies, Edward's forces attempted a retreat back to England. Near Melrose, Scotland, Scottish troops routed English forces and almost captured Edward. The king barely returned to England with his life accompanied by an army only a fraction of what it was before facing William Douglas and his allies.
With Edward no longer a threat to southern Scotland, William forged a truce with William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northhampton, that would hold until September of 1356. Part of the negotiations included safe passage for William to visit Scotland's King David, who was being held prisoner by the English.
After visiting King David, William, supported by a large army, sailed for France and joined John II, King of France, in his fight against Edward of Woodstock (the Black Prince), son of King Edward III of England. John II would knight William for his services to France. William participated in the Battle of Poitiers in western France on September 19, 1356. Following a fierce confrontation, French forces were overcome by English troops resulting in the eventual capture of John II and his son, Philip the Bold. William was able to escape the melee, but at a heavy cost of men. William's first cousin, Archibald, 3rd Earl of Douglas (Archibald the Grim), was captured by the English, but later escaped via deceiving his guards with the aid of another prisoner, Sir William Ramsay of Colluthie.
Following the Battle of Poitiers, William made his way back to Scotland and participated in peace negotiations with England. As a result of these negotiations, William was appointed a Lord Warden of the Marches, wherein he would be responsible for the security of Scotland along the English border. While in this position, William seized Liddesdale's Hermitage Castle in retaliation for English attacks upon Eskdale, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Edward of Woodstock
The Black Prince
In 1357, William attended a parliament that was convened at Berwick. A key point of discussion was the release of King David of Scotland, who was still being held prisoner by the English. During the gathering, the Treaty of Berwick was signed which provided for the release of King David. William acted as one of the securities on behalf of the king.
On January 26, 1358, William was named Earl of Douglas whereupon he constructed Tantallon Castle in East Lothian, Scotland. The fortress would become the home of William's son, George, by his mistress, Margaret Stewart. George was eventually named Earl of Angus.
In 1372, King Robert II of Scotland named William Justiciar South of the Forth, an important administrative post. While in this role, William continued to launch raids into England and counter English raids into Scotland. He died on May 1, 1384, in Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, of an unknown fever.