The Good Sir James's nephew William, Lord of Douglas
was created 1st Earl of Douglas in 1358, and greatly increased Douglas
territory by marrying Margaret, Countess of Mar. The creation of the
Earldom can be accurately dated to 26 January that year, because of a
charter witnessed by Douglas on the 25 January where he is described as
"William, Lord of Douglas, Knight", and another of the 27th of the month
as the Earl of Douglas. The power of Douglas was further increased by
the marriage of the 2nd Earl to Princess Isabel, daughter to Robert III
of Scotland. The acme of Douglas territorial power came when Archibald
the Grim, Lord of Galloway a bastard son of the Good Sir James inherited
the Earldom following the 2nd Earl's death at the Battle of Otterburn.
"Black Archibald" as he was also known, was by right of conquest Lord of
Galloway; and by right of his wife, the Moray heiress Joanna de Moravia,
the Lord of Bothwell and its vast entail. Already one of the largest
landowners in the realm, Archibald the Grim was now the greatest
Tenant-in-chief of the Scottish Crown.
William, the 1st Earl,
Archibald the Grim and both his son the 4th Earl and grandson, the 5th
Earl fought in France as well as the along the Anglo-Scottish Border,
during what would become known as the Hundred Years War. The 1st Earl
and the 3rd were both present at the Battle of Poitiers, and the future
5th Earl Archibald, Earl of Wigtown was a deputy of John Stewart, Earl
of Buchan at the Battle of Baug้ and elsewhere. Archibald Douglas, 4th
Earl of Douglas, had fought at Homildon Hill, was captured there and
then joined the rebel Northern English Barons to fight at Battle of
Shrewsbury where he was again captured. It was during this episode of
his life that Douglas makes an appearance as one of the characters in
William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. In 1423 Douglas's son Wigtown,
returned to Scotland to raise more troops for the French war and managed
to enlist his father's support, the 4th Earl sailed for France with an
army some 6500 strong, was created Duke of Touraine and Lieutenant
General of France by a grateful Dauphin. Douglas was killed at Battle of
Verneuil in 1424. The 5th Earl of Douglas upon his accession was
sometime regent of Scotland during the minority of James II of Scotland
and Lieutenant-General of Scotland. The 5th Earl's sons, the
sixteen-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother
David Douglas, were to be victim to the cabal of Sir William Crichton,
Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar, and their great uncle James
Douglas, Earl of Avondale who wished to break the power of the Black
Douglases. The boys were summoned to Edinburgh Castle, and where at what
is known as the 'Black Dinner' the Earl and his brother were taken into
the Castleyard and executed before the young King.
William
Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (13271384)
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of
Douglas (13581388), killed at the Battle of Otterburn
Archibald
Douglas, Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas (13251400) "the Grim",
Bastard cousin of the 1st Earl, created Earl of Wigtown[9] 1372
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (13701424) Duke of Touraine,
killed at the Battle of Verneuil
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of
Douglas (13901439), son of the above
William Douglas, 6th Earl of
Douglas (14261440), Murdered at the Black Dinner at Edinburgh Castle
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
(died 1443) "the Gross" created Earl
of Avondale in 1437, murderer and great-uncle of above.
William
Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas and 2nd Earl of Avondale (14251452),
Murdered by James II of Scotland at Stirling Castle.
James Douglas,
9th Earl of Douglas and 3rd Earl of Avondale (died 1488), the last
"Black Douglas", brother of the previous, attainted 1455 and all his
titles forfeit.
Lordship of Douglas, and other estates and title
devolved upon: George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
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