George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton

George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton
Born 1635
Died 20 March 1692
St Germain-en-Laye, Paris, France
Buried Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Allegiance  Kingdom of Scotland
 Kingdom of France
Service/branch Scottish Army
French Army
Rank Major General
Battles/wars Monmouth Rebellion
Awards Knight of the Order of the Thistle

Major-General George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton KT (1635 – 20 March 1692) was a Scottish nobleman, and soldier.

Early life

The son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and his second wife Lady Mary Gordon daughter of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, Douglas was the younger brother of the William Douglas, 1st Earl of Selkirk. Douglas was probably born at Douglas Castle. He is first mentioned in a safe conduct dated 1647 giving him permission to go to France.[1]

Career

In 1653, he succeeded his half-brothers Lord James Douglas and Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus as colonel of the Régiment de Douglas, then in the service of Louis XIV. The regiment returned to Britain in 1666 On 30 June 1667, Samuel Pepys met the Lord George in Rochester and mentions seeing his Regiment, by then known as "Dumbarton's Regiment" (later the Royal Scots), and notes it his diary.[2] When the regiment was recalled to France, the officers presented a petition to the King to use his influence on the French King not to use them for any service distasteful to them. The regiment returned to Crown service finally in 1669 serving in the English Army, and was fully incorporated by 1678. In 1675 in recognition of Lord George 's effort in the recent Third Anglo-Dutch War, Charles II created Lord George, Earl of Dumbarton and Lord Douglas of Ettrick, a titular dignity there was no entail of land in Scotland with the creation.[3]

On the accession of James VII of Scotland, he made Dumbarton Commander of the Armed Forces in Scotland, and granted him the escheat of the forfeited estates of Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun. When King James 'revived' the Order of the Thistle, Dumbarton was installed as one of the founder knights, along with his nephew James Douglas-Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton.

King James was deposed in the so-called Glorious Revolution, and Dumbarton accompanied the King to his court in exile in France. George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton died at St Germain-en-Laye, and was buried at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, amongst other members of his family.

Marriage and Issue

He married Anne, daughter of George Wheatley and a sister of the Duchess of Northumberland. They had one son:

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Fraser, vol II, p431
  2. ↑ Music page of the Royal Scots
  3. ↑ Balfour Paul, Vol II, p217
  4. ↑ Burke's Dormant Peerages, 1866

Sources

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