William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus

Template:Short description {{#invoke:Other people|otherPeople}} Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English

William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus (1554Template:Snd3 March 1611) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus (1533–1591).

Career

Douglas studied at St. Andrews University and joined the household of the Earl of Morton. Subsequently, while visiting the French court, he became a Catholic, and was in consequence, upon his return, disinherited and placed under restraint.<ref name="EB1911">{{#if: |

   |{{#ifeq: Angus, Earls of |
                |{{#ifeq: |
                             |
                             |
                           }}
                |
               }}
  }}{{#ifeq:  |
   |{{#ifeq: y |
                                    |This article
                                    |One or more of the preceding sentences
                                   }} incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 
  }}{{#invoke:template wrapper|{{#if:|list|wrap}}|_template=cite EB1911
   |_exclude=footnote, inline, noicon, no-icon, noprescript, no-prescript, _debug

   | noicon=1
  }}{{#ifeq:  ||}}</ref>

Nevertheless, Douglas succeeded to his father's titles and estates in 1591, and though in 1592 he was disgraced for his complicity in Lord Bothwell's plot, he was soon liberated and performed useful services as the King's Lieutenant in the north of Scotland. In June 1592 he was injured falling from his horse while hunting with James VI and sent for drugs from the surgeon Gilbert Primrose.<ref>Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 703.</ref>

In July 1592 he asked for help from Queen Elizabeth in a plot with the Earl of Erroll and other lords against John Maitland of Thirlestane, the Chancellor. Lord Maxwell accused him of misdemeanours including meeting the rebels James Douglas of Spott and the Countess of Bothwell.<ref>Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 781.</ref> He protested his absolute rejection of Spanish offers, but in October he signed the Spanish Blanks. On the discovery of this treason he was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle on his return to Scotland in January 1593.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Douglas escaped from Edinburgh Castle on 13 February 1593 with the help of his Countess, joining the Earls of Huntly and Erroll in the north.<ref>Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1593–1595, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 49.</ref> They were offered an Act of "oblivion" or "abolition" provided they renounced their religion or quit Scotland. Declining these conditions they were declared traitors and "forfeited."<ref name="EB1911"/>

They remained in rebellion, and in July 1594 an attack made by them on Aberdeen roused James's anger. Huntly and Erroll were subdued by James himself in the north, and Angus failed in an attempt upon Edinburgh in concert with the Earl of Bothwell.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Subsequently, in 1597 they all renounced their religion, declared themselves Presbyterians, and were restored to their estates and honours. Angus was again included in the Privy Council, and in June 1598 was appointed the King's Lieutenant in southern Scotland, in which capacity he showed great zeal and conducted the "Raid of Dumfries," as the campaign against the Johnstones was called.<ref name="EB1911"/> At Christmas time in 1598 the English diplomat George Nicholson heard that people were saying Angus wore a jewel resembling a cross in his hat (which might be taken a sign of Catholicism), but the king said it was not and laughed at their daftness.<ref>John Duncan Mackie, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 13 part 1 (Edinburgh, 1969), p. 371.</ref>

Angus, offended at the advancement of Huntly to a Marquessate, recanted, resisted all the arguments of the ministers to bring him to a "better mind," and was again excommunicated in 1608.<ref name="EB1911"/>

In 1609 Douglas withdrew into exile, and died in Paris, France, on 3 March 1611. He is buried at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Household accounts

A household account for the Earl survives. It commences on 11 June 1608 when the Earl moved his lodging in Glasgow from the house of George Lyon to that of John Ross. In October he moved to the Canongate of Edinburgh. On 5 November he moved to Tantallon Castle.<ref>Alexander Curle, 'Kitchen and Buttery Accounts of the Earl of Angus's Household in Glagow and the Canongate', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland (Edinburgh, 1909), pp. 191–207, extracts only.</ref>

Quotation

From The Scottish Nation:

Template:Quote

Marriage and children

Douglas married Elizabeth Oliphant, a daughter of Laurence Oliphant, 4th Lord Oliphant, in spring 1585, and they had three sons and three daughters. His second son, James, was created Lord Mordington in 1641. His daughter Mary was married to Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow.

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas	1589	19 February 1659	Married 1st Lady Margaret Hamilton, 2nd, Lady Mary Gordon; had issue.
James Douglas, 1st Lord Mordington	1591	11 February 1656	Married Lady Anne Oliphant and Lady Elizabeth Hay; had issue.
Sir Francis Douglas of Sandilands	1593
Lady Catherine Douglas	1595		Married Sir Andrew Kerr
Lady Mary Douglas	1597		Married Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow; had issue.
Lady Elizabeth Douglas	1599		Married Sir John Campbell

Douglas was succeeded by his son William, as 11th earl of Angus, afterwards 1st marquess of Douglas (1580–1660). The title Earl of Angus is now held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the heir apparent to the current dukedom.<ref name="EB1911"/>