8th earl, who
recovered Wigtown, Galloway and Bothwell by marriage (by papal
dispensation) with his cousin, the Fair Maid of Galloway. He was soon
high in favour with James II., and procured the disgrace of Crichton,
his kinsmen's murderer, by an alliance with his rival, Sir Alexander
Livingstone. In 1450 James raided the earl's lands during his absence on
a pilgrimage to Rome; but their relations seemed outwardly friendly
until in 1452 the king invited Douglas to Stirling Castle under a
safe-conduct, in itself, however, a proof of strained relations. There
James demanded the dissolution of a league into which Douglas had
entered with Alexander Lindsay, the "Tiger" earl (4th) of Crawford. On
Douglas's refusal the king murdered him (February 22) with his own
hands, the courtiers helping to despatch him. The tales of the hanging
of Sir Herbert Herries of Terregles and the murder of McLellan of Bombie
by Douglas rest on no sure evidence.

JAMES DOUGLAS, 9TH EARL (and last), denounced his brother's murderers
and took up arms, but was obliged by the desertion of his allies to
submit. He obtained a papal dispensation to marry his brother's widow,
in order to keep the family estates together. He intrigued with the
English court, and in 1455 rebelled once more. Meanwhile another branch
of the Douglas family, known as the Red Douglas, had risen into
importance (see ANGUS, EARLS OF), and George Douglas, 4th earl of Angus
(d. 1463), great-grandson of the 1st earl of Douglas, took sides with
the king against his kinsmen. James Douglas, again deserted by his chief
allies, fled to England, and his three brothers, Ormond, Moray and
Balvany, were defeated by Angus at Arkinholm on the Esk. Moray was
killed, Ormond taken prisoner and executed, while Balvany escaped to
England. Their last stronghold, the Thrieve in Galloway, fell, and the
lands of the Douglases were declared forfeit, and were divided among
their rivals, the lordship of Douglas falling to the Red Douglas, 4th
earl of Angus. In England the earl of Douglas intrigued against his
native land; he was employed by Edward IV. in 1461 to negotiate a league
with the western highlanders against the Scottish kingdom. In 1484 he
was taken prisoner while raiding southern Scotland, and was relegated to
the abbey of Lindores, where he died in 1488.

The title of Douglas was restored in 1633 when WILLIAM, 11th earl of
Angus (1589-1660), was created 1ST MARQUESS OF DOUGLAS by Charles I.