James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas

Infobox Monarch
name =James Douglas
title =Earl of Douglas


caption =Seal of the 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar
reign =
coronation =
othertitles =Earl of Mar
Lord of Liddesdale
predecessor =William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
successor =Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas
married =
issue =William Douglas, Archibald Douglas "(both illegitimate)"
royal house =
dynasty =Douglas
royal anthem =
father =William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
mother =Margaret, Countess of Mar
date of birth =1358
place of birth =Scotland
date of death =14 August, 1388
place of death ="killed at" Otterburn, Northumberland
date of burial =1388
place of burial =St Bride's Kirk, Douglas|

Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 – 14 August 1388), was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland. He was son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar.

In 1385 he made war on the English with the assistance of a French contingent under John de Vienne. He allowed the English to advance to Edinburgh, wisely refusing battle, and contented himself with a destructive counter-raid on Carlisle. Disputes soon arose between the allies, and the French returned home at the end of the year.

In 1388 Douglas captured Henry 'Hotspur' Percy's pennon in a skirmish near Newcastle. Percy sought revenge in the Battle of Otterburn in August of that year, although the Scots were victorious, and Hotspur and his brother were captured. James Douglas was killed in the fight. The battle, as narrated by Jean Froissart, forms the basis of the English and Scottish ballads "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" and "The Battle of Otterburn".

Marriage and issue

Douglas married Isabel Stewart, a daughter of King Robert II of Scotland. He left no legitimate male issue. His natural sons William and Archibald became the ancestors of the families of Douglas of Drumlanrig (see Marquess of Queensberry) and Douglas of Cavers. His sister Isabel, inherited the lands and earldom of Mar, and the unentailed estates of Douglas.

The earldom and entailed estates of Douglas reverted by the patent of 1358 to Archibald Douglas, called "The Grim", cousin of the 1st Earl and a natural son of The "Good" Sir James Douglas.

References

* Nigel Tranter, "The Stewart Trilogy", Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent : Coronet Books, 1986. ISBN 0-3403-9115-4. "Lords of Misrule, 1388-1396. A Folly of Princes, 1396-1402. The Captive Crown, 1402-1411".
*1911
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p10805.htm#i108050 thepeerage.com]