Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus

"Bell the Cat" redirects here. For the colloquialism, see Belling the cat.

For other people named Archibald Douglas, see Archibald Douglas (disambiguation).

Archibald Douglas
Earl of Angus
Predecessor	George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
Successor	Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Father	George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
Mother	Isabella Sibbald
Born	1449
Died	October 1513 Whithorn
Burial	Whithorn Priory

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (1449 – October 1513), was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat". He became the most powerful nobleman in the realm through a successful rebellion and established his family as the most important in the kingdom.

Life

Angus, born about 1449 at Tantallon Castle in East Lothian, succeeded his father, George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, in 1462 or 1463 at the age of just fourteen.

In 1481, Angus became Warden of the east march, but the next year he joined the league against James III and his favourite Robert Cochrane at Lauder. Here he earned his nickname by offering to "bell the cat" – specifically, to deal with Cochrane – beginning the attack upon him by pulling his gold chain off his neck, and then ordering the hanging of Cochrane and others of the king's favourites. (The phrase "to bell the cat" comes from one of Aesop's fables, "The Mice in Council", and refers to a dangerous task undertaken for the benefit of all.)

Subsequently he joined Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, in league with Edward IV of England on 11 February 1483, signing the convention at Westminster which acknowledged the overlordship of the English king. However, in March Albany and Angus returned, outwardly at least, to their allegiance, and received pardons for their treason.

After a period of peace between them, Angus and the king again started to quarrell. Angus now decided to rebel against the king, having the support of the Scottish nobility this time, he marched against James III and they fought a battle in which the king was killed.

Angus became one of the guardians of the young king James IV. but soon lost influence, to the Homes and Hepburns, and the wardenship of the marches went to Alexander Home. Though outwardly on good terms with James, Angus treacherously made a treaty with Henry VII around 1489 or 1491, by which he undertook to govern his relations with James according to instructions from England. He also agreed to hand over Hermitage Castle, commanding the pass through Liddesdale into Scotland, on the condition of receiving English estates in compensation.

In October 1491 he fortified his castle of Tantallon against James, but had to submit and to exchange his Liddesdale estate and Hermitage Castle for the lordship of Bothwell.

In 1493 Angus again returned to favour, receiving various grants of lands. He became Chancellor, which office he retained till 1498. In 1501, in disgrace once more, he was confined to Dumbarton Castle. At the disaster at Flodden Field in 1513, though absent himself, Angus lost his two eldest sons. He won appointment as one of the councilors of Margaret Tudor the queen regent. He died at the end of October 1513. His successor to the Earldom of Angus was his grandson, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.

Marriages and children

Angus married four times:

1. Catherine Seton, a natural daughter of Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly
2. on 4 March 1467: Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd
3. about 1498: Janet, daughter of John Kennedy, 2nd Lord Kennedy
4. in 1500: Katherine Stirling.

Children by second marriage

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
George Douglas, Master of Angus	1469	9 September 1513	married in March 1488, Lady Elizabeth Drummond; had issue, killed at the Battle of Flodden
Lady Mariot Douglas	1470		married Cuthbert Cunningham, 2nd Earl of Glencairn; had issue
Sir William Douglas	1471	9 September 1513	married Lady Elizabeth Auchinleck; had issue, killed at the Battle of Flodden
Gavin Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld	1472
Lady Elizabeth Douglas	1474
Sir Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie	1475	c.1540	Given the nickname Greysteil by James V
Lady Janet Douglas	1476

Children by third marriage

Name
Lady Mary Douglas

References

Sources

• Fraser, Sir William, The Douglas Book IV vols. Edinburgh. 1885

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by George Douglas	Earl of Angus	Succeeded by Archibald Douglas
Political offices
Preceded by 1st Earl of Argyll	Lord Chancellor of Scotland 1493–1497	Succeeded by 2nd Earl of Huntly
Military offices
Preceded by 1st Earl of Arran	Lord High Admiral of Scotland	Succeeded by 5th Lord Maxwell