Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus

Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton (1555–1588) was the son of David, 7th earl. He succeeded to the title and estates in 1558, being brought up by his uncle, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, a Presbyterian.

In 1573 he was made a Privy Councillor and Sheriff of Berwickshire; in 1574 Lieutenant-General in Scotland; in 1577 Warden of the West Marches and Steward of Fife; and in 1578 Lieutenant-General of the realm.

He gave a strong support to Morton during the attack upon the latter, made a vain attempt to rescue him, and was declared guilty of high treason on June 2, 1581. He then entered into correspondence with the English government for an invasion of Scotland to rescue Morton, and on the latter's execution in June went to London, where he was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth.

After the Raid of Ruthven in 1582 Angus returned to Scotland and was reconciled to King James, but soon afterwards the king shook off the control of the Earls of Mar and Gowrie, and Angus was again banished from Court.

In 1584 he joined the rebellion of Mar and Glamis, but the movement failed, and the insurgents fled to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Later they took up residence at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which became a centre of Presbyterianism and of projects against the Scottish government, encouraged by Elizabeth, who regarded the banished lords as friends of the English and antagonists of the French interest.

In February 1585 they came to London, and cleared themselves of the accusation of plotting against James's life. A plan was then prepared for their restoration and for the overthrow of James Stewart, Earl of Arran. In October they invaded Scotland and gained an easy victory over Arran, captured Stirling Castle with the King in November, and secured from him the restoration of their estates, and the control of the government.

In 1586 Angus was appointed Warden of the Marches and Lieutenant-General on the Border, and performed good services in restoring order; but he was unable to overcome the king's hostility to the establishment of Presbyterian government.

In January 1586 he was granted the Earldom of Morton with the lands entailed upon him by his uncle; this made him 5th Earl of Morton.

He died on 4 August 1588 at Smeaton, near East Linton, Haddingtonshire.

According to the 1591 tract, Newes from Scotland, Declaring the Damnable life and death of Doctor Fian, a notable Sorcerer who was burned at Edenbrough in Ianuary last, Angus's death by witchcraft was confessed to by the apprehended Barbara Naper after her accusation by Geillis Duncane, also imprisoned for witchcraft.

He was married three times: (1) 13 June 1573 Mary Erskine, a daughter of the 1st Earl of Mar; (2) 25 December 1575 (divorced 1587) Margaret, a daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes;(3) 29 July 1587 Jean, a daughter of John Lyons, 8th Lord Glamis, with whom he had a daughter Margaret, who died young.

He was succeeded in the Earldom of Angus by his cousin William, a descendant of the 5th earl.

A closer line of the Douglas family to the former Earls of Morton inherited the Earldom of Morton.

(For the Morton title, see James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton.)

References

Notes

Sources

• Balfour Paul, Sir James -Scots Peerage IX vols. Edinburgh 1906. [1]
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• Burke, Messrs. John and John Bernard, The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants, etc., volumer 2, London, 1851, pedigree CLXXVII.