Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas

For other people named Archibald Douglas, see Archibald Douglas (disambiguation).

Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas (15 October 1694 – 21 July 1761) was a Scottish nobleman.

His Grace The Duke of Douglas
Personal details
Born	Archibald Douglas (1694-10-15)15 October 1694
Died	21 July 1761(1761-07-21) (aged 66)
Spouse	Margaret Douglas ​ ​ (m. 1758)​
Parent(s)	James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas Lady Mary Kerr
Residence	Douglas Castle

Early life

He was the second son of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas, by his second marriage to Lady Mary Kerr, daughter of Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian and Lady Jean Campbell. His elder brother, William, died in infancy in 1694, and Archibald was thereafter styled Earl of Angus.

Douglas succeeded his father in 1700, and on 10 April 1703, was created Duke of Douglas, Marquess of Angus and Abernethy, Viscount of Jedburgh Forest, and Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun, and Robertoun. The bearer of the Crown of Scotland on state occasions, he conveyed it to Edinburgh Castle after the closing of the last Parliament of Scotland.

Career

During the Jacobite rising of 1715, Douglas took the Hanoverian side, and led the volunteer horse at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. In maturity, Douglas grew eccentric, and perhaps insane, slew Captain John Kerr (the natural son of his uncle, Lord Mark Kerr) at Douglas Castle, while the latter was guesting with him there, and was forced to flee for some time to Holland. His residence of Douglas Castle was plundered by Highlanders during the Rising of 1745.

Personal life

He fell out with his sister, Lady Jane Douglas, when he discovered her secret marriage to Sir John Stewart, 3rd Baronet of Grantully, and treated her with great cruelty. In 1755, Douglas Castle burned, and he hired Robert Adam to rebuild it, although the work was never finished, being halted by the Duke's death.

In 1758, Lord Douglas married Margaret Douglas, daughter of James Douglas of Mains, who succeeded in reconciling him with Archibald, his nephew by Lady Jane (who had died in 1754). Ultimately, the Duke was persuaded to entail his estates upon Archibald, a decision which led to the celebrated Douglas Cause upon his death, when the Duke of Hamilton (who inherited the Marquessate of Douglas) and his kin unsuccessfully contested Archibald's legitimacy.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas

16. William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus 8. William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas 17. Lady Elizabeth Oliphant 4. Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Ormond 18. Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley 9. The Hon. Margaret Hamilton 19. The Hon. Margaret Seton 2. James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas 20. Esmé Stuart, 1st Duke of Lennox 10. Esmé Stuart, 3rd Duke of Lennox 21. Catherine de Balzac 5. Lady Anne Stuart 22. Gervase Clifton, 1st Baron Clifton 11. Katherine Clifton, 2nd Baroness Clifton 23. Katherine Darcy 1. Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas 24. Robert Kerr, 1st Earl of Ancram 12. William Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian 25. Elizabeth Murray 6. Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian 26. Robert Kerr, 2nd Earl of Lothian 13. Anne Kerr, 3rd Countess of Lothian 27. Lady Annabella Campbell 3. Lady Mary Kerr 28. Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll 14. Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll 29. Lady Agnes Douglas 7. Lady Jean Campbell 30. William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton 15. Lady Margaret Douglas 31. Lady Anne Keith

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Douglas, Archibald (1694–1761)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.