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James, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar
 James
Douglas was not born into obscurity, far from it. The eldest son of
the mighty William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, and Margaret,
Countess of Mar, his lineage was as steeped in power as the towering
castles of Scotland. By 1380, James had already been knighted,
earning his stripes as “Sir James Douglas of Liddesdale.” His future
was bound to the throne itself—a shrewd marriage contract saw to
that. His father had aligned their family with royalty, securing
James’s betrothal to Princess Isabel, a daughter of King Robert II.
Tragedy came swiftly in 1384. James’s father succumbed to a fever, leaving the young knight not only his title as Earl but the weight of his ambitions. The timing could not have been more volatile. A French embassy had arrived in Scotland, attempting to negotiate a truce between their Franco-Scots alliance and England. Just as these delicate talks unfolded, another contingent of French knights, led by the fiery Geoffroi de Charny, arrived in Perth, seeking action. These adventurers offered their swords to the Scots, and the freshly minted Earl James wasted no time. Teaming up with the French, he led a thunderous raid into England, torching lands owned by the influential Percy and Mowbray families. Though the Scots struck a temporary truce by mid-1384, it wouldn’t last. By 1385, when the ink had dried on the truce’s expiration, the Douglas war machine rumbled to life once more. This time, French reinforcements brought chivalric brilliance and supplies under Admiral Jean de Vienne. Yet even with their combined might, the Scots faced overwhelming numbers from King Richard II’s English forces. James, always tactical, refused direct confrontation. Instead, he scorched his own lands to starve the advancing English army of resources. As the English torched abbeys and the heart of Edinburgh itself, Douglas’s cousin Archibald “The Grim” led the French and Scots in a destructive counter-raid deep into England. The alliance, however, frayed under strain, and the French departed by year’s end. James was unrelenting. By 1388, turmoil in the south of England had weakened Richard II’s grip, and the stage was set for a bold invasion. The Scots gathered their forces at Jedburgh, with Douglas leading a daring detachment to strike at the heart of Northumberland. His men ravaged the countryside, their path marked by flames and broken defenses. Reaching Newcastle, they found the castle defended by Sir Henry Percy, better known as “Hotspur,” and his brother Ralph. What followed was a week of skirmishes, bold challenges, and hard-fought clashes. It all culminated in a dramatic duel. Douglas himself unseated Hotspur, seizing his pennon as a trophy—a humiliation Percy vowed to avenge. The Scots pressed on, eventually making camp near Otterburn. Knowing Hotspur would not rest until he reclaimed his honor, Douglas chose his position carefully, sheltering his forces amidst the woods to neutralize English archery. But vengeance came under the cover of night. On a moonlit August evening, the Percys struck in force, and chaos reigned. Amidst the fray, Douglas himself fell, mortally wounded. His men, unaware of their leader’s fate, continued the fight with ferocity. When dawn broke, the Scots had triumphed—capturing Hotspur and scattering the remaining English. Douglas’s body was discovered on the battlefield the next morning. The aftermath was bittersweet. Douglas’s men carried his lifeless form back across the Border, laying him to rest in the serene halls of Melrose Abbey. Though he left no legitimate sons, his natural descendants carried forward the Douglas legacy, while his sister Isabel inherited much of his land and titles. The earldom passed to Archibald “The Grim,” ensuring the Douglas name endured as a cornerstone of Scottish history. Sir James Douglas, the warrior who carved his name into legend, proved that courage, strategy, and a burning desire for freedom could echo far beyond the battlefield. JAMES, 2ND EARL OF DOUGLAS AND MAR(C. 1358-1388), married Lady Isabel Stewart, daughter of Robert II. In 1385 he made war on the English with the assistance of a French contingent under John de Vienne. He allowed the English to advance to Edinburgh, wisely refusing battle, and contented himself with a destructive counter-raid on Carlisle. Disputes soon arose between the allies, and the French returned home at the end of the year. In 1388 Douglas captured Hotspur Percy's pennon in a skirmish near Newcastle. Percy sought revenge in the battle of Otterburn (August 1388), which ended in a victory for the Scots and the capture of Hotspur and his brother, though Douglas fell in the fight. The struggle, narrated by Froissart, is celebrated in the English and Scottish ballads called " Chevy Chase " and " The Battle of Otterburn." Sir Philip Sidney " never heard the oide song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart mooved more than with a trumpet " (Apologie for Poelrie). The 2nd earl left no legitimate male issue. His natural sons William and Archibald became the ancestors of the families of Douglas of Drumlanrig (see QUEENSBERRY) and Douglas of Cavers. His sister Isabel became countess of Mar, inheriting the lands of Mar and his unentailed estates.
1 A descendant of a younger son of the original William de Douglas.
2 Un the murder of the knight of Liddesdale, his lands, with the exception of Liddesdale and the .Hermitage forfeited to the crown and then secured by his nephew, fell to his nephew, Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith and Aberdpur (d. 1420), whose great-grandson James Douglas, 3rd Lord Dalkeith (d. 1504), became earl of Morton in 1458 on his marriage with Lady Joan Stewart, third daughter of James I. His grandson, the 3rd earl, left daughters only, of whom the eldest, Margaret, married James Hamilton,earl of Arran, regent of Scotland, ancestor of the dukes of Hamilton; Elizabeth married in 1543 James Douglas, who became by this marriage 4th earl of Morton. *•-. Source: http://21.1911encyclopedia.org/D/DO/DOUGLAS_SIR_CHARLES.htm
Father: William (1st Earl of Douglas)
Douglas
Marriage: Princess Isabel Stewart, daughter of King Robert II and Elizabeth Mure. James died in 1388 and in 1389 she married John Edmonstone of that Ilk. Children 1. Infant, died young He left no legitimate male issue. His natural sons William and Archibald
became the ancestors of the families of
Douglas of Drumlanrig and
Douglas of Cavers. His sister
Isabel inherited the lands and earldom of Mar, and the unentailed estates of
Douglas. Isabel arranged for the
Bonjedward estate to be passed to their half-sister, Margaret, who became
1st Laird of Bonjedward.
Robert Burns wrote of James,
the second Earl of Douglas and Mar, the hero of Otterburn:
See also: • Standoff at Tantallon Castle • Wardens of the Scottish Marches
Any contributions will be gratefully accepted
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Douglas, died young
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