Victim of the Black Dinner
On November 24, 1440
the 16 years 6th Earl of Douglas, William, was invited to dinner along
with his 14 year old younger brother, David. The dinner’s host was the
10 year old king, James II.
Historians tend to place the blame
for the Black Dinner on Crichton, Livingston and especially Douglas as
the death of his great-nephews brought him the earldom of Douglas and
the position as the most powerful magnate in Scotland.
James, “the
Gross” Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas and 15th Lord of Douglas was the
younger brother of the 4th Earl of Douglas. When his brother was killed
fighting the English at the Battle of Verneuil, James backed his nephew
who became Lieutenant General of Scotland and Regent for the young James
II until Douglas' death in 1439. James’ nephew was Archibald Douglas,
the 5th Earl of Douglas.
When Archibald Douglas, the 5th Earl
died of a fever he left as his heirs a young boy of 15, William, who
became the 6th Earl, another younger son and a daughter Margaret who
became known as the Fair Maid of Galloway.
The death of his Sir
James’ nephew set off a deadly chain of events that saw power being
uneasily shared between Sir William Crichton, Sir Alexander Livingston
of Callendar and Douglas himself.
These events culminated in what
would became known as the 'Black Dinner' at Edinburgh Castle where his
great-nephew William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas and his younger
brother, David, were summarily beheaded on trumped up charges in the
presence of the young James II who was aged only ten years old.
There were no less than 7 sons of the 7th Earl. None of them survived to
have children. Thus ended the historic title "Earl of Douglas." It had
been held by no less than nine persons in 98 years, an average of but
eleven years tenure each. With the death of these sons ended the male
issue of Archibald, the 3rd Earl of Douglas (the bastard son of the
"Good Sir James" of the war of independence. The legitimate and elder
line having ended 67 years earlier.
The young Douglases were set
up and betrayed by William, 1st Lord Crichton, Sir Walter Scott
describes him as "being a consummate statesman according to the manner
of the age, and as destitute of faith, mercy, and conscience as of fear
and folly."
He rose from a modest position to great power through
the favor of James I. Save when he was involved in the intrigues
bringing about the ruin of the House of Douglas the records allow
tracing his career in only a very general way.
He decoyed the
youthful Earl of Douglas and his still more youthful brother, David,
into Edinburgh Castle, where, after a mock trial in the presence of the
King, a boy of ten, they were beheaded on Nov 24, 1440. This is the tale
of "The Black Dinner."
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