Lord James Douglas
Encyclopedia
Lord James Douglas was a Scottish
nobleman and soldier.
He was born at Douglas Castle
, Douglas, South Lanarkshire
, the son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas
, and his wife Margaret Hamilton, a daughter of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
.
Douglas was sent at an early age to the court of Louis XIII, where he was served the King as a Page
, where he steadily moved through the levels of the Maison du Roi
.
of the Scots Regiment, the first of three brothers to do so.
The Scots Regiment, was raised as its name suggests in Scotland in 1625 ,and had fought in Sweden
in the early part of the Thirty Years' War
, it returned to Scotland as the Royal regiment of Foot in 1633. In 1635, the regiment was bound to King Louis, "in all service except against the King of Great Britain". Originally it was commanded by Sir John Hepburn
, who was killed at the siege of Saverne
in 1636; it was then taken over by his nephew, Sir John Hepburn who was killed in action the following year. Douglas was appointed the new Colonel, and the name of the corps was altered to the Régiment de Douglas, and numbers increased to twenty companies of 100 Scotsmen. The regiment fought with distinction, under Douglas, occasionally under the ultimate command of Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne
. Douglas was injured in August 1645, and received a letter of sympathy from Cardinal Mazarin.
He was killed in a skirmish on the road between Arras
and Douai
on the 21st October 1645, in an attempt to take the latter city from the Habsburg
s. According to Fraser, Louis XIV had indicated his wish to raise Douglas to the rank of Field Marshal
, on the very day that he died.
Douglas' body was returned to Paris and buried at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
, beside other members of his family, including William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus
, his grandfather. A fine memorial was erected to his memory in the Chapelle de Sainte-Thérèse, within the Abbey Church.
Douglas was succeeded as Colonel by his elder brother, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. The Régiment de Douglas returned to British service in 1662, and by 1812 it took its more famous name: The Royal Scots
.
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...
nobleman and soldier.
He was born at Douglas Castle
Douglas Castle
Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large mansion house was built in its place. This too was demolished in 1938, and today...
, Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Douglas, 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...
, the son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and 11th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman.-Master of Angus:William Douglas, Master of Angus was the eldest son of William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus and his Countess, Elizabeth Oliphant, eldest daughter of Laurence Oliphant, 4th Lord Oliphant...
, and his wife Margaret Hamilton, a daughter of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley
Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley was a Scottish politician. He was a younger son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. In 1553, he received the lands of the abbey of Paisley...
.
Douglas was sent at an early age to the court of Louis XIII, where he was served the King as a Page
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
, where he steadily moved through the levels of the Maison du Roi
Maison du Roi
The Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration; the exact composition and duties of its various divisions changed constantly over the Early Modern period...
.
Thirty Years War
At the age of twenty, he was appointed colonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Scots Regiment, the first of three brothers to do so.
The Scots Regiment, was raised as its name suggests in Scotland in 1625 ,and had fought in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in the early part of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, it returned to Scotland as the Royal regiment of Foot in 1633. In 1635, the regiment was bound to King Louis, "in all service except against the King of Great Britain". Originally it was commanded by Sir John Hepburn
Sir John Hepburn
Sir John Hepburn was a Scottish soldier who fought in wars in continental Europe.He was a son of George Hepburn of Athelstaneford, near the town of Haddington. He served in the Thirty Year's War, entering into the service of Gustavus Adolphus in 1623 and in 1625 was appointed colonel of the...
, who was killed at the siege of Saverne
Saverne
Saverne is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km N.W...
in 1636; it was then taken over by his nephew, Sir John Hepburn who was killed in action the following year. Douglas was appointed the new Colonel, and the name of the corps was altered to the Régiment de Douglas, and numbers increased to twenty companies of 100 Scotsmen. The regiment fought with distinction, under Douglas, occasionally under the ultimate command of Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne,often called simply Turenne was the most illustrious member of the La Tour d'Auvergne family. He achieved military fame and became a Marshal of France...
. Douglas was injured in August 1645, and received a letter of sympathy from Cardinal Mazarin.
He was killed in a skirmish on the road between Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
and Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
on the 21st October 1645, in an attempt to take the latter city from the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
s. According to Fraser, Louis XIV had indicated his wish to raise Douglas to the rank of Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, on the very day that he died.
Douglas' body was returned to Paris and buried at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, just beyond the outskirts of early medieval Paris, was the burial place of Merovingian kings of Neustria...
, beside other members of his family, including William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus
William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus
William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus was the son of William, the 9th Earl . He was a direct descendant of King James I through his paternal grandmother, Lady Agnes Keith, a daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal....
, his grandfather. A fine memorial was erected to his memory in the Chapelle de Sainte-Thérèse, within the Abbey Church.
Douglas was succeeded as Colonel by his elder brother, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. The Régiment de Douglas returned to British service in 1662, and by 1812 it took its more famous name: The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...
.
Sources
- Regiments.org Timelines and Colonels of the Royal Scots
- Balfour Paul, Sir JamesJames Balfour PaulSir James Balfour Paul, KCVO was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland, from 1890 until the end of 1926....
. Scots Peerage Vol I. Edinburgh 1907 - Fraser, Sir William FraserWilliam Fraser (historian)Sir William Fraser, KCB, was a solicitor and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography, and genealogy....
. The Douglas Book IV Vols. Edinburgh 1885. - Maxwell, Sir Herbert. A History of the House of Douglas. London 1902