Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas
Encyclopedia
Archibald the Grim also known as Blak (Black) Archibald (c. 1328–1400), 3rd Earl of Douglas
, Earl of Wigtown
, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell and Lord of Galloway was a late medieval Scottish
magnate.
Archibald the Grim was a bastard son by an unknown mother of Sir James Douglas
, Robert I
's trusted deputy.
A cousin of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
, he inherited the earldom of Douglas
and its entailed estates as the third earl following the death without issue of James 2nd Earl of Douglas
at the Battle of Otterburn
.
and was killed at the Battle of Teba
whilst fighting the Moors
. According to Walter Bower
, "He was dark and ugly more like a coco [cook-boy] than a Noble". It has been suggested that the young Archibald spent time with his cousin William at the court in exile of King David II
at Château Gaillard in Normandy
. It was only natural for them to take service with the French King. This was in keeping with the spirit of the Auld Alliance
.
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Archibald's first major appearance in history is recorded in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers
where he was captured by the English. Douglas had accompanied his cousin William, 1st Earl of Douglas to serve King John II
of France
in his wars against the Black Prince
. Edward III of England had concluded truce negotiations with the Scots lasting from the 25th March until Michaelmas
, following the Burnt Candlemas of the 2nd of February. During the truce, Earl William had secured safe passage to travel to Château Gaillard to visit David II; amongst his entourage was the 28 year old Archibald. Once in France, in the chivalric spirit of the age the Douglases joined the French army, to prevent their harnesses rusting through inactivity.
The Battle was a disastrous defeat for the French. It was suggested by Froissart that part of the blame lies with Earl William, for his suggestion to the French King that his Knights dismount and fight on foot. Whatever the causes King John was captured along with many noblemen, amongst whom was Black Archibald. Earl William evaded capture.
Archibald's armour and harness was of fine construction and he was thought to be a valuable prisoner by his captors.
Black Archibald was appointed Constable
of Edinburgh Castle
in 1361, which along with the office of Sheriff
of Edinburgh
, he held until 1364. In that year he was appointed Warden of the Western March
. This was an uneasy appointment as the English held Annandale, which formed the greater part of his new jurisdiction.
In the following years he carried out numerous raids against the English. In 1368 Douglas was appointed Lord Warden of the Marches
and was successful in ousting the English from Annandale completely by 1383.
, was a co-commander with William Wallace
, and she was the daughter of Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn
. Archibald is said to have offered five English Knights battle in single combat for her hand. The Lady of Bothwell and heiress to the de Moravia
dynasty, Joanna brought with her large estates and Lordships throughout Scotland which Archibald claimed de jure uxoris. This included the semi-ruined Bothwell Castle
, which he promptly started to rebuild. The marriage was a device of the king to ensure that the Moray inheritance would be passed into safe (and loyal) hands. Since the death of Joanna's first husband, Sir Thomas de Moravia, the Lord of Bothwell, in 1361, she and her widowed mother had been wards of the court. Joanna was declared to be not only heiress of her father's unentailed lands, but also those of her first husband. The estates stretched from Aberdeenshire, Moray and Ross in the north, to Lanarkshire and Roxburghshire in the south. Although Douglas did not inherit his wife's father's Earldom of Strathearn
, Douglas would be able to use his new found kindred ties to the advantage of the King in the centre of the kingdom.
at the court in Avignon
of Pope Urban V
.
The second embassy was to Paris, with a view to renewing the Auld Alliance. This embassy was ordered by the new Stewart king Robert II
, three days after his accession. The result of this diplomacy resulted in the Treaty of Vincennes
, the first ratification of the alliance since the Treaty of Corbeil
, 55 years previously.
In 1369, Archibald had been appointed Lord of Galloway by King David, "becaus he tuke git trawell to purge the cuntrey of Englis blude". Galloway was a difficult fiefdom
to rule. Prior to his assumption of the title, it had been the patrimony of the Balliols, both the ousted King John
and his pretender son Edward Balliol
. The Balliols had inherited it through King John's grandmother Dervorguilla of Galloway
, daughter and heiress of Alan, Lord of Galloway
, the last of the Norse-Gaelic
Kings of Galloway. The Galwegians had distinctive laws and customs and, as with the Kingdom of the Isles
, did not feel subservient to the Scottish crown, but rather to their ancient Kings of which they viewed the Balliols as representing. In 1353 Earl William had succeeded in bringing the eastern part of the fiefdom under the control of the Scottish crown. By 1372 after reaffirming control in the east, Archibald acquired the Earldom of Wigtown
from Thomas Fleming, Earl of Wigtown
, thus consolidating his power over the whole of Galloway, the first time under one man since 1234. This transfer of the Earldom of Wigtown was ratified by Robert II, on the 7th November the same year. Archibald's conquest of Galloway was depicted on his seal
, which depicts two "wild men" holding up his arms.
In 1378 Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie, a nephew of Archibald Douglas, took Berwick by surprise with 50 men, and was immediately besieged by the town's governor Thomas De Musgrave. Douglas and Lord Lyndsay of the Byres massed a relief army at Haddington, little more than 500 in number, but marched anyway hoping to collect more men on the way. When Archibald's army approached Berwick his scouts informed him that the English army around the castle numbered around 10,000, with archers, siege engines, heavy horse and ships blockading the river. Douglas then retreated to Melrose, followed by the English army. Just short of Melrose, Musgrave attacked. Fortunately Archibald's army had now been reinforced. During the ensuing Battle of Melrose, Musgrave was unhorsed and forced to yield for ransom. With Musgrave and other leaders captured, the remaining English not already slain fled back to Berwick with news of their defeat.
It is around this time that Archibald started work on his fortalice at Threave Castle
, and endowed Sweetheart Abbey
, near Dumfries
, with an hospital. Rather than taking over Buittle
, traditional seat of the Balliols during the construction of Threave, he took up residence at Kirkcudbright
, traditional seat of the earlier Lords.
In territorial possessions alone Archibald, Lord of Galloway appeared now to have reached if not overtaken his cousin William, 1st Earl of Douglas.
, and was succeeded by his son James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
, who was killed during his victorious Battle of Otterburn
four years later in 1388. Archibald inherited his cousin's earldom and all the entailed Douglas lands making him the most powerful magnate in Scotland.
During the intervals of war with the English he imposed feudal law on the border chieftains, drawing up a special code for the marches. The power of the Black Douglas overshadowed the crown under the weak rule of Robert III
. Archibald appeared to have strengthened his line's connection with that of the Royal Stewarts, when in 1390 he arranged the marriage of his son and heir, Archibald, Master of Douglas to the Princess Margaret, and in 1399 his daughter Marjorie to David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
; both of these spouses were children of Robert III, Rothesay being the heir apparent to the throne. Rothesay was already contracted to marry Elizabeth Dunbar, daughter of George I, Earl of March
, who had paid a large sum for the honour. March, alienated from his allegiance by this breach of faith on the king's part, now joined the English forces.
, around Christmas 1400, and was buried at Bothwell
.
Earl Archibald had an illegitimate son:
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
, Earl of Wigtown
Earl of Wigtown
The title of Earl of Wigtown was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation was in 1341, and was surrendered in 1372, when the second earl sold the earldom and territory to Archibald the Grim , Lord of Galloway...
, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell and Lord of Galloway was a late medieval Scottish
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
magnate.
Archibald the Grim was a bastard son by an unknown mother of Sir James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
, Robert I
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
's trusted deputy.
A cousin of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas was a Scottish magnate.-Early Life:William Douglas was the son of Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good", Robert the Bruce's trusted deputy...
, he inherited the earldom of Douglas
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
and its entailed estates as the third earl following the death without issue of James 2nd Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.-Early life:He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar...
at the Battle of Otterburn
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place on the 5 August 1388, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scottish and English.The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle...
.
Early life
He was an infant when his father went on the CrusadesCrusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
and was killed at the Battle of Teba
Teba
Teba is a town in Spain.Located on an outlying spur of the sierras north east of Ronda, some 15 kilometres north of Ardales, and with a population of some 4,300 people, it is part of the comarca of Guadalteba and provincia of Málaga in Andalusia.Below the town is the site of the Battle of Teba...
whilst fighting the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
. According to Walter Bower
Walter Bower
Walter Bower , Scottish chronicler, was born about 1385 at Haddington, East Lothian.He was abbot of Inchcolm Abbey from 1418, was one of the commissioners for the collection of the ransom of James I, King of Scots, in 1423 and 1424, and in 1433 one of the embassy to Paris on the business of the...
, "He was dark and ugly more like a coco [cook-boy] than a Noble". It has been suggested that the young Archibald spent time with his cousin William at the court in exile of King David II
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
at Château Gaillard in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. It was only natural for them to take service with the French King. This was in keeping with the spirit of the Auld Alliance
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France. It played a significant role in the relations between Scotland, France and England from its beginning in 1295 until the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. The alliance was renewed by all the French and Scottish monarchs of that...
.
Battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
where he was captured by the English. Douglas had accompanied his cousin William, 1st Earl of Douglas to serve King John II
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
in his wars against the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
. Edward III of England had concluded truce negotiations with the Scots lasting from the 25th March until Michaelmas
Michaelmas
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on 29 September...
, following the Burnt Candlemas of the 2nd of February. During the truce, Earl William had secured safe passage to travel to Château Gaillard to visit David II; amongst his entourage was the 28 year old Archibald. Once in France, in the chivalric spirit of the age the Douglases joined the French army, to prevent their harnesses rusting through inactivity.
The Battle was a disastrous defeat for the French. It was suggested by Froissart that part of the blame lies with Earl William, for his suggestion to the French King that his Knights dismount and fight on foot. Whatever the causes King John was captured along with many noblemen, amongst whom was Black Archibald. Earl William evaded capture.
Archibald's armour and harness was of fine construction and he was thought to be a valuable prisoner by his captors.
Escape
His escape from English hands was occasioned by one Sir William Ramsay of Colluthie, also a detainee. In the presence of one of the guards, Ramsay pretended to be furious with Archibald and accused him of the theft of his cousin's armour. Furthermore he stated that his cousin had been felled by an English arrow and had died as a result of his lack of protection. Ramsay than insisted that Archibald take off his boots. Archibald concurred and by the time he had removed one, Ramsay started beating him around the head with it. One of the guards intervened to stop Ramsay, insisting that Archibald was the son of a great Noble and should be respected. Ramsay retorted "Not he, I tell you, he is a scullion and a rogue", then to Archibald, "Go you rascal, and seek your master's body amongst the slain, so that we may at least give him a decent burial". Ramsay paid the fee of 40 shillings, the ransomable rate of an esquire. Ramsay cuffed Archibald round the head once more and bade him begone. Archibald made his way back to Scotland, and deprived the Black Prince's army of what would have been a considerable ransom.Rise to prominence
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
in 1361, which along with the office of Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, he held until 1364. In that year he was appointed Warden of the Western March
Scottish Marches
Scottish Marches was the term used for the Anglo-Scottish border during the late medieval and early modern eras—from the late 13th century, with the creation by Edward I of England of the first Lord Warden of the Marches to the early 17th century and the creation of the Middle Shires, promulgated...
. This was an uneasy appointment as the English held Annandale, which formed the greater part of his new jurisdiction.
In the following years he carried out numerous raids against the English. In 1368 Douglas was appointed Lord Warden of the Marches
Lord Warden of the Marches
The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action....
and was successful in ousting the English from Annandale completely by 1383.
de Moravia Marriage
Archibald further increased his power by his marriage to the widow and heiress Joanna de Moravia in 1362. Joanna's great-grandfather-in-law, Andrew MorayAndrew Moray
Andrew Moray , also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, was a prominent military leader of patriotic forces during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He led the rising in northern Scotland in the summer of 1297 against the occupation by King Edward I of England,...
, was a co-commander with William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
, and she was the daughter of Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn
Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn
Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn was a Scottish soldier.He was the oldest of the sons of Sir John de Moravia of Drumsagard , and appears in sources for the first time in October 1334, as the Sheriff of Lanark. By this point he had become a powerful military leader, being styled by Walter...
. Archibald is said to have offered five English Knights battle in single combat for her hand. The Lady of Bothwell and heiress to the de Moravia
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
dynasty, Joanna brought with her large estates and Lordships throughout Scotland which Archibald claimed de jure uxoris. This included the semi-ruined Bothwell Castle
Bothwell Castle
Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Uddingston and Bothwell, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle was begun in the 13th century by the ancestors of Clan...
, which he promptly started to rebuild. The marriage was a device of the king to ensure that the Moray inheritance would be passed into safe (and loyal) hands. Since the death of Joanna's first husband, Sir Thomas de Moravia, the Lord of Bothwell, in 1361, she and her widowed mother had been wards of the court. Joanna was declared to be not only heiress of her father's unentailed lands, but also those of her first husband. The estates stretched from Aberdeenshire, Moray and Ross in the north, to Lanarkshire and Roxburghshire in the south. Although Douglas did not inherit his wife's father's Earldom of Strathearn
Earl of Strathearn
The Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
, Douglas would be able to use his new found kindred ties to the advantage of the King in the centre of the kingdom.
Embassies
Archibald was sent on two embassies to France, one in 1369 and the other in 1371. The first of these was to protest against the appeal launched by the newly divorced Queen MargaretMargaret Drummond (Queen)
Margaret Drummond was the second queen of David II of Scotland and a daughter of Sir Malcolm Drummond, Knt. by his wife Margaret, née Graham....
at the court in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
of Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V , born Guillaume Grimoard, was Pope from 1362 to 1370.-Biography:Grimoard was a native of Grizac in Languedoc . He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon...
.
The second embassy was to Paris, with a view to renewing the Auld Alliance. This embassy was ordered by the new Stewart king Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, three days after his accession. The result of this diplomacy resulted in the Treaty of Vincennes
Treaty of Vincennes-Edinburgh
The Treaty of Vincennes-Edinburgh renewed the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France, fifty-five years after the Treaty of Corbeil . It confirmed the obligation of each state to join the other in declaring war if either was attacked by England...
, the first ratification of the alliance since the Treaty of Corbeil
Treaty of Corbeil
The Treaty of Corbeil may refer to :* The Treaty of Corbeil between France and Aragon* The Treaty of Corbeil between France and Scotland...
, 55 years previously.
Lord of Galloway
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
to rule. Prior to his assumption of the title, it had been the patrimony of the Balliols, both the ousted King John
John of Scotland
John Balliol , known to the Scots as Toom Tabard , was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296.-Early life:Little of John's early life is known. He was born between 1248 and 1250 at an unknown location, possibilities include Galloway, Picardy and Barnard Castle, County Durham...
and his pretender son Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol was a claimant to the Scottish throne . With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.-Life:...
. The Balliols had inherited it through King John's grandmother Dervorguilla of Galloway
Dervorguilla of Galloway
Dervorguilla of Galloway was a 'lady of substance' during the 13th century, wife from 1223 of John, 5th Baron de Balliol, and mother of the future king John I of Scotland. The name Dervorguilla or Devorgilla was a Latinization of the Gaelic Dearbhfhorghaill...
, daughter and heiress of Alan, Lord of Galloway
Alan, Lord of Galloway
Alan Fitz Roland was the last of the MacFergus dynasty of quasi-independent Lords of Galloway. He was also hereditary Constable of Scotland.-Family:He was the son of Roland, or Lochlann, Lord of Galloway and Helen de Morville...
, the last of the Norse-Gaelic
Norse-Gaels
The Norse–Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region, including the Isle of Man, and western Scotland for a part of the Middle Ages; they were of Gaelic and Scandinavian origin and as a whole exhibited a great deal of Gaelic and Norse cultural syncretism...
Kings of Galloway. The Galwegians had distinctive laws and customs and, as with the Kingdom of the Isles
Kingdom of the Isles
The Kingdom of the Isles comprised the Hebrides, the islands of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Man from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. The islands were known to the Norse as the Suðreyjar, or "Southern Isles" as distinct from the Norðreyjar or Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland...
, did not feel subservient to the Scottish crown, but rather to their ancient Kings of which they viewed the Balliols as representing. In 1353 Earl William had succeeded in bringing the eastern part of the fiefdom under the control of the Scottish crown. By 1372 after reaffirming control in the east, Archibald acquired the Earldom of Wigtown
Earl of Wigtown
The title of Earl of Wigtown was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation was in 1341, and was surrendered in 1372, when the second earl sold the earldom and territory to Archibald the Grim , Lord of Galloway...
from Thomas Fleming, Earl of Wigtown
Thomas Fleming, Earl of Wigtown
Thomas Fleming, Earl of Wigtown was the second person to hold the title earl of Wigtown. He was the grandson of the previous earl, Sir Malcolm Fleming, through the latter's only son . His mother was a woman named Marjorie.Thomas had been the heir to the earldom since the death of his father in 1351...
, thus consolidating his power over the whole of Galloway, the first time under one man since 1234. This transfer of the Earldom of Wigtown was ratified by Robert II, on the 7th November the same year. Archibald's conquest of Galloway was depicted on his seal
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
, which depicts two "wild men" holding up his arms.
In 1378 Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie, a nephew of Archibald Douglas, took Berwick by surprise with 50 men, and was immediately besieged by the town's governor Thomas De Musgrave. Douglas and Lord Lyndsay of the Byres massed a relief army at Haddington, little more than 500 in number, but marched anyway hoping to collect more men on the way. When Archibald's army approached Berwick his scouts informed him that the English army around the castle numbered around 10,000, with archers, siege engines, heavy horse and ships blockading the river. Douglas then retreated to Melrose, followed by the English army. Just short of Melrose, Musgrave attacked. Fortunately Archibald's army had now been reinforced. During the ensuing Battle of Melrose, Musgrave was unhorsed and forced to yield for ransom. With Musgrave and other leaders captured, the remaining English not already slain fled back to Berwick with news of their defeat.
It is around this time that Archibald started work on his fortalice at Threave Castle
Threave Castle
Threave Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km west of Castle Douglas, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland...
, and endowed Sweetheart Abbey
Sweetheart Abbey
Sweetheart Abbey , south of Dumfries, near to the Nith in south-west Scotland, was a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1275 by Dervorguilla of Galloway, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway, in memory of her husband John de Balliol...
, near Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, with an hospital. Rather than taking over Buittle
Buittle
Buittle is an ecclesiastical and former civil parish in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in the South West of Scotland.-History:The name is ancient, as it is derived from the Northumbrian term boðl, settlement or Hamlet. Northumbrian expansion into what was the kingdoms of Rheged and Strathclyde in...
, traditional seat of the Balliols during the construction of Threave, he took up residence at Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
, traditional seat of the earlier Lords.
In territorial possessions alone Archibald, Lord of Galloway appeared now to have reached if not overtaken his cousin William, 1st Earl of Douglas.
Earl of Douglas
In 1384, William the first Earl of Douglas died of a seizure at DouglasDouglas, South Lanarkshire
Douglas is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the south bank of the Douglas Water and on the A70 road that links Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, to Edinburgh on the East, around 12 miles south west of Lanark. The placename is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Old Gaelic...
, and was succeeded by his son James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.-Early life:He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar...
, who was killed during his victorious Battle of Otterburn
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place on the 5 August 1388, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scottish and English.The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle...
four years later in 1388. Archibald inherited his cousin's earldom and all the entailed Douglas lands making him the most powerful magnate in Scotland.
During the intervals of war with the English he imposed feudal law on the border chieftains, drawing up a special code for the marches. The power of the Black Douglas overshadowed the crown under the weak rule of Robert III
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
. Archibald appeared to have strengthened his line's connection with that of the Royal Stewarts, when in 1390 he arranged the marriage of his son and heir, Archibald, Master of Douglas to the Princess Margaret, and in 1399 his daughter Marjorie to David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
David Stewart was the heir to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He also held the titles of Earl of Atholl and Earl of Carrick...
; both of these spouses were children of Robert III, Rothesay being the heir apparent to the throne. Rothesay was already contracted to marry Elizabeth Dunbar, daughter of George I, Earl of March
George I, Earl of March
George de Dunbar, 10th Earl of Dunbar and March , 12th Lord of Annandale and Lord of the Isle of Man, was "one of the most powerful nobles in Scotland of his time, and the rival of the Douglases."-Family:...
, who had paid a large sum for the honour. March, alienated from his allegiance by this breach of faith on the king's part, now joined the English forces.
Death
The Earl of Douglas died at Threave CastleThreave Castle
Threave Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km west of Castle Douglas, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland...
, around Christmas 1400, and was buried at Bothwell
Bothwell
Bothwell is a small town in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, nine miles east-south-east of Glasgow city centre....
.
Marriage and children
Around 1362 Douglas married Joanna de Moravia, daughter of Maurice de Moravia, 1st Earl of Strathearn. They had four children.- Archibald Douglas, who succeeded as 4th earl
- James DouglasJames Douglas, 7th Earl of DouglasJames Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale , known as "the Gross", was a Scottish nobleman. He was the second son of Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas and Joan Moray of Bothwell and Drumsargard , d...
, later the 7th earl - Marjory Douglas, married 1st David Stewart, Duke of RothesayDavid Stewart, Duke of RothesayDavid Stewart was the heir to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He also held the titles of Earl of Atholl and Earl of Carrick...
, 2nd Walter de HaliburtonWalter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of DirletonSir Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton was Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.The eldest son of Sir John Haliburton of Dirleton, East Lothian , by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Sir John Cameron, Sir Walter was one of the hostages for King James I on March 28, 1424 and was...
the Treasurer of ScotlandTreasurer of ScotlandThe Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices... - Helen, married Sir George de Lawedre of HaltounGeorge de Lawedre of HaltounSir George de Lawedre of Haltoun was a Burgess and Provost of Edinburgh in the early 15th century.-Family:...
, Lord Provost of Edinburgh
Earl Archibald had an illegitimate son:
- Sir William Douglas of Nithsdale (assassinated c. 1392), married Egidia Stewart daughter of Robert IIRobert II of ScotlandRobert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
Primary sources
- Brown, Michael, The Black Douglases, Tuckwell Press, East Linton, 1998
- Fraser, Sir WilliamWilliam Fraser (historian)Sir William Fraser, KCB, was a solicitor and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography, and genealogy....
, The Douglas Book (4 Vols). Edinburgh 1885 http://www.archive.org/stream/douglasbook01fras#page/n5/mode/2up - Fordun, John ofJohn of FordunJohn of Fordun was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th century; and it is probable that he was a chaplain in the St Machar's Cathedral of...
, Chronica Gentis Scotorum, ed.Skene, W.F.William Forbes SkeneWilliam Forbes Skene , Scottish historian and antiquary, was the second son of Sir Walter Scott's friend, James Skene , of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen....
, Edinburgh 1871.http://www.archive.org/details/johannisdefordun01ford - FroissartJean FroissartJean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
Chronicles, trans. Lord BernersJohn Bourchier, 2nd Baron BernersJohn Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners was a statesman and translator, born at Sherfield, Hertfordshire, England, to Sir Humphrey Bourchier and Elizabeth Tilney, and educated at Oxford University. He held various Offices of State, including that of Chancellor of the Exchequer to King Henry VIII, and...
, ed. Macaulay, G.C.George Campbell MacaulayGeorge Campbell Macaulay , also known as G. C. Macaulay, was a noted English Classical scholar. He was the father of the well-known English author Rose Macaulay.-Family:...
. London 1904.http://www.archive.org/details/chroniclesoffroi00froiuoft - MacDougall, Norman, An Antidote to the English - the Auld Alliance 1295-1560, Tuckwell Press, East LintonEast LintonEast Linton is a town in East Lothian, Scotland, situated on the River Tyne and A199 road five miles east of Haddington, with a population of 1,774...
, 2001 - Maxwell, Sir Herbert. A History of the House of Douglas (2 vols), Freemantle & Co., London 1902
- Smith, J Stewart-, The Grange of St Giles. Edinburgh, 1898
- George CrawfurdGeorge Crawfurd-Life:He was the third son of Thomas Crawfurd of Cartsburn. When Simon Fraser laid claim to the barony of Lovat, he employed Crawfurd to investigate the case, and to supply materials to support it...
's Peerage, 1776
Secondary sources
- Nigel Tranter, The Stewart Trilogy, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent : Coronet Books, 1986. ISBN 0-3403-9115-4. Lords of Misrule, 1388-1396. A Folly of Princes, 1396-1402. The Captive Crown, 1402-1411.
- thepeerage.com