Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c.1489 – 22 January 1557) was a
ScottishThe 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...
nobleman active during the reigns of
James VJames V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of
George, Master of AngusGeorge Douglas, Master of Angus was a Scottish Nobleman. The son of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus and Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd, he was born at Tantallon Castle and died at the Battle of Flodden....
, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and succeeded as
Earl of AngusThe Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton.-Mormaers:...
on the death of his grandfather,
ArchibaldArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus , was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat"...
.
Marriage to Margaret Tudor
In 1509, Douglas married Margaret, daughter of the
Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell was Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Under his territorial designation of Sir Patrick Hepburne of Dunsyre, Knt., he was Sheriff of Berwickshire, 15 June 1480...
. After her death, and that of his father, in 1513, on 6 August 1514 the new Earl of Angus married the dowager queen and
regentA regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
,
Margaret TudorMargaret Tudor was the elder of the two surviving daughters of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and the elder sister of Henry VIII. In 1503, she married James IV, King of Scots. James died in 1513, and their son became King James V. She married secondly Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of...
, widow of
James IVJames IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
and elder sister of
Henry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The marriage stirred up the jealousy of the nobles and the opposition of the faction supporting
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
influence in Scotland. Civil war broke out, and Margaret lost the regency to
John Stewart, Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, Duke of Albany was Regent of the Kingdom of Scotland, Duke of Albany in peerage of Scotland and Count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.-Early life:...
.
Angus withdrew to his estates in Forfarshire, while Albany besieged the queen at
StirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
and got possession of the royal children; then he joined Margaret after her flight at
MorpethMorpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, and on her departure for London returned and made his peace with Albany in 1516. He met her once more at
BerwickBerwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
in June 1517, when Margaret returned to Scotland on Albany's departure in vain hopes of regaining the regency.
Meanwhile, during Margaret's absence, Angus had become involved with a daughter of the Laird of
Traquairthumb|right|Cottages at TraquairTraquair is a small village and civil parish in the old county of Peeblesshire, but since 1975, a part of the Scottish Borders...
. Angus had a daughter named Lady Janet Douglas with Lady Jane of Traquair, Douglas seized some property to his then wife Margaret Tudor, an estate at Newark and proceeded to live in it openly with his wife and illegitimate child. Margaret however was more annoyed with Douglas over his seizure and usage of her dower income as dowager queen of Scotland more so than the birth of his illegitimate daughter. Margaret avenged his neglect of her by refusing to support his claims for power and by secretly trying through Albany to get a divorce. In
EdinburghEdinburgh 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...
Angus held his own against the attempts of the
Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and 2nd Lord Hamilton was a Scottish nobleman and first cousin of James IV of Scotland.-Biography:...
, to dislodge him. But the return of Albany in 1521, with whom Margaret now sided against her husband, deprived him of power. The regent took the government into his own hands; Angus was charged with high treason in December, and in March 1522 was sent practically a prisoner to
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, whence he succeeded in escaping to London in 1524.
Conquest of power
He returned to Scotland in November with promises of support from
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, with whom he made a close alliance. Margaret, however, refused to have anything to do with her husband. On the 23rd, therefore, Angus forced his way into Edinburgh, but was fired upon by Margaret and retreated to
Tantallon CastleTantallon Castle is a mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth...
.
He now organized a large party of nobles against Margaret with the support of Henry VIII, and in February 1525 they entered Edinburgh and called a parliament. Angus was made a Lord of the Articles, was included in the Council of regency, bore the king's crown on the opening of the session, and with
Archbishop BeatonDr. James Beaton was a Scottish church leader, the uncle of Dr. David Cardinal Beaton and the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland....
held the chief power. In March he was appointed
Lord Warden of the MarchesThe 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 suppressed the disorder and anarchy on the border. In July the guardianship of the King was entrusted to him for a fixed period till the 1st of November, but he refused at its close to retire, and advancing to
LinlithgowLinlithgow is a Royal Burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. An ancient town, it lies south of its two most prominent landmarks: Linlithgow Palace and Linlithgow Loch, and north of the Union Canal....
put to flight Margaret and his opponents.
He now with his followers engrossed all the power, succeeded in gaining over some of his antagonists, including Arran and the
HamiltonsDuke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
, and filled the public offices with Douglases, he himself becoming
ChancellorThe Lord Chancellor of Scotland was a Great Officer of State in pre-Union Scotland.Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal...
.
None that time durst strive against a Douglas nor Douglas's man.
Counsel of King James
The young king
James VJames V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, now fourteen, was far from content under the tutelage of Angus, but he was closely guarded, and several attempts to free him were foiled. Angus defeated
John Stewart, 3rd Earl of LennoxJohn Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox was a prominent Scottish magnate. He was the son of Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox, and Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton and Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland, daughter of King James II of Scotland.The Earl of Lennox had led...
, who had advanced towards Edinburgh with 10,000 men in August at the
Battle of Linlithgow BridgeThe Battle of Linlithgow Bridge is a battle that took place on 4 September 1526 in the village of Linlithgow Bridge, outside the Scottish town of Linlithgow. It was fought between a force of 10,000 men led by the Earl of Lennox and a force of 2,500 led by James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran...
, and he subsequently took
StirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. After his military successes, he reconciled with Beaton, and in 1527 and 1528 was busy in restoring order through the country.
On 11 March 1528, Margaret succeeded in obtaining her divorce from Angus, and about the end of the month she and her lover,
Henry StewartHenry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven was Master of the Scottish Artillery and third husband of Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.-Ancient lineage:...
, were besieged at Stirling. A few weeks later, however, James escaped from Angus's custody, took refuge with Margaret and Arran at Stirling, and immediately proscribed Angus and all the Douglases, forbidding them to come within seven miles of his person. This did not include his half-sister, Margaret who was allowed to be with them.
Alliance with and exile in England
Angus, having fortified himself in
TantallonTantallon Castle is a mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth...
, was attainted and his lands confiscated. Repeated attempts by James to subdue the fortress failed, and on one occasion Angus captured the royal artillery. At length, Tantallon was given up as a condition of a truce between England and Scotland, and in May 1529 Angus sought refuge with Henry, obtained a pension and took an oath of allegiance, Henry promising to make his restoration a condition of peace.
Angus had been largely guided in his intrigues with England by his brother, Sir
George Douglas of PittendreichGeorge Douglas of Pittendreich was a member of the powerful Douglas family who struggled for control of the young James V of Scotland in 1528. His second son became James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and Regent of Scotland. Initially, George Douglas promoted the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and...
, Master of Angus, (died 1552), a far more clever diplomat than himself. George's life and lands were also declared forfeit, as were those of his uncle,
Archibald Douglas of KilspindieSir Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie , also known as Greysteil, was a Scottish nobleman and courtier, who served as Treasurer of Scotland, and Provost of Edinburgh.-Rise:...
(died 1535), known by the nickname of
Greysteel, who had been a friend of James. These men fled into exile.
James avenged himself on such Douglases as he could. Angus's third sister
Janet, Lady GlamisJanet Douglas, Lady Glamis was the daughter of George Douglas, Master of Angus and Elizabeth Drummond, daughter of John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond...
, was summoned to answer a charge of communicating with her brothers, and when she failed to appear, her estates were forfeited. In 1537, she was tried for conspiring against the king's life. She was found guilty and burnt on the
Castle Hill, EdinburghThe Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
on 17 July 1537. Her innocence has been generally assumed, but
TytlerPatrick Fraser Tytler was a Scottish historian.-Life:The son of Lord Woodhouselee, he was born in Edinburgh, where he attended the Royal High School. He was called to the bar in 1813; in 1816 he became King's counsel in the Exchequer, and practised as an advocate until 1832...
(
History of Scotland, iv. pp. 433, 434) considered her guilty.
Angus remained in England until 1542, joining in the attacks upon his countrymen on the border, while James refused all demands from Henry VIII for his restoration, and kept firm to his policy of suppressing the Douglas faction.
Return to Scotland
On James V's death in 1542, Angus returned to Scotland, with instructions from Henry to negotiate a marriage between Mary, Queen of Scots, and
Edward VIEdward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. His forfeiture was rescinded, his estates restored and he was made a privy councillor and lieutenant-general.
In 1543, he successfully negotiated a peace treaty and the marriage, and the same year he married Margaret, daughter of
Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord MaxwellRobert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell , A member of the council of Regency of the Kingdom of Scotland. Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before head of the clan Maxwell. A distinguished Scottish nobleman, politician, soldier and in 1513 Lord High Admiral...
. Shortly afterwards, a struggle between Angus and the regent Arran broke out, and in April 1544 Angus was captured and imprisoned in
Blackness CastleBlackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of...
.
Break with England
The same year
Lord HertfordEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
's
marauding expeditionThe Burning of Edinburgh in 1544 by an English sea-borne army was the first major action of the war of the Rough Wooing. A Scottish army observed the landing on 3 May 1544 but did not engage with the English force. The Provost of Edinburgh was compelled to allow the English to sack Leith and...
, which did not spare the lands of Angus, made him join the anti-English party. Angus was released from ward when Hertford's army landed at
GrantonGranton is a district in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland. Granton forms part of Edinburgh's waterfront along the Firth of Forth and is, historically, an industrial area having a large harbour. Granton is part of Edinburgh's large scale waterfront regeneration programme.-Name:Granton first appears...
near Edinburgh. Angus made a bond with Arran and others to maintain their allegiance to Mary, and gave his support to the mission sent to France to offer the latter's hand to the
DauphinFrancis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
. In July 1544 he was appointed lieutenant of the south of Scotland, and distinguished himself on 27 February 1545 in the victory over the English at
Ancrum MoorThe Battle of Ancrum Moor was fought during the War of the Rough Wooing in 1545. The Scottish victory put a temporary end to English depredations in the Scottish border and lowlands.-Background :...
.
He still corresponded with Henry VIII, but nevertheless signed in 1546 the act cancelling the marriage and peace treaty, and on the 10 September 1547 commanded the van in the great defeat of Pinkie, when he again won fame. Early in October 1547, Angus tried to recapture the island of
InchcolmInchcolm is an island in the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Repeatedly attacked by English raiders during the Wars of Scottish Independence, it was fortified during both World Wars to defend nearby Edinburgh...
from the English with five ships.
In 1548 an attempt by
LennoxMatthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox was the 4th Earl of Lennox, and leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox. His grandson was James VI of Scotland....
and
WhartonThomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton was an English nobleman and a follower of King Henry VIII of England. He is best known for his victory at Solway Moss on 24 November 1542 for which he was given a barony.-Early life:...
to capture him and punish him for his duplicity failed, Angus escaping after his defeat to Edinburgh by sea, and Wharton being driven back to Carlisle.
Death
Under the regency of Mary of Lorraine his restless and ambitious character and the number of his retainers gave cause for frequent alarms to the government. On 31 August 1547 he resigned his earldom, obtaining a regrant
sibi et suis haeredibus masculis et suis assignatis quibuscumque.
His career was a long struggle for power and for the interests of his family, to which national considerations were completely subordinate. He died in January 1557. By Margaret Tudor he had
MargaretMargaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox was the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and Margaret Tudor, Queen Dowager of Scotland...
, his only surviving legitimate child, who married
Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of LennoxMatthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox was the 4th Earl of Lennox, and leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox. His grandson was James VI of Scotland....
, and was mother of
Henry Stuart, Lord DarnleyHenry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
. He outlived his illegitimate daughter Janet Douglas who died around 1552, she had married
Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord RuthvenPatrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven , played an important part in the political intrigues of the 16th century. He succeeded to the lordship in December 1552...
and produced several children and produced the main Ruthven line. Angus also had an illegitimate son
George DouglasGeorge Douglas was a late medieval Scottish nobleman and prelate. A son of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, he was elected by the chapter of the diocese of Moray by 22 December 1573 several months after the death of Patrick Hepburn, the previous Bishop of Moray. He held the bishopric for 16...
,Bishop of Moray. Since his only legitimate son James Douglas by his wife Margaret Maxwell died young, he was succeeded by his nephew
DavidDavid Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus was the son of George Douglas of Pittendreich and Elizabeth Douglas of the Pittendriech family.David married Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton of Samuelston, sometimes called 'Clydesdale John,' who was a brother of Regent Arran...
, son of Sir George Douglas of Pittendriech.
Popular culture
Angus is the subject of the ballad,
Archibald Douglas, written by
Theodor FontaneTheodor Fontane was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer.-Youth:Fontane was born in Neuruppin into a Huguenot family. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary, his father's profession. He became an...
in 1854, and most famously sung by Carl Loewe.
Ancestry