William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton

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

William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton (died 1606) was the son of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the king was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland from 1567 until his assassination in January 1570. Sir William's cousin was another Regent of Scotland James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, and was closely associated with him in his career, the two men being occasionally confused in the histories. He was well known for being the owner of Loch Leven Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned after losing the Battle of Carberry Hill and forced to abdicate in favor of her infant son James VI. His wife was Agnes Leslie, daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes, by whom he had eleven children.

The title Earl of Morton was declared forfeit in 1581 when the 4th earl was attainted; that same year it was granted to John Maxwell, 7th Lord Maxwell, a grandson of the 3rd earl. In 1586 the attainder was reversed and the title returned to the 4th earl's family. By the 4th earl's will Douglas succeeded in 1588 to the earldom of Morton, on the death of Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus.

In June 1567, Queen Mary was imprisoned in Sir William's castle of Lochleven. Lady Agnes became the Queen's chief female companion during her ten and a half months of imprisonment, accompanying her throughout the day and often sleeping in her bedchamber. It was following the birth of Agnes's child when she was recovering from her pregnancy, thus providing Queen Mary with greater liberty, that Mary chose to escape from Lochleven with the aid of Sir William's brother George and a young orphaned cousin named William Douglas who also lived at the castle and may or may not have been the earl's illegitimate son. When Sir William learned of his royal captive's escape, he was so distressed that he attempted to stab himself with his own dagger.

Marriage and children

On 26 November 1554 he married Lady Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton (born after 1541-died ca. 1606), a Scottish noblewoman, being the daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes as well as a direct descendant of King James II in her maternal line. The contract for their marriage was signed on 19 August 1554. The couple made their home at Lochleven Castle, which was a fortress situated on an island in the middle of the loch, and where his widowed mother also resided.

Sir William and Agnes together had eleven children:^{[citation needed]}

• Christian Douglas of Morton, married firstly Laurence of Oliphant, by whom she had issue; she married secondly Alexander, 1st Earl of Home.
• Robert Douglas, Master of Morton (killed by pirates in March 1585), married Jean Lyon of Glamis, by whom he had two sons, including William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton.
• James Douglas, Commendator of Melrose, married firstly Mary Kerr, by whom he had issue; secondly Helen Scott, by whom he had issue; and thirdly Jean Anstruther, by whom he had issue.
• Sir Archibald Douglas of Kilmour (died 1649), married Barbara Forbes (born 31 January 1560), by whom he had one son.
• Sir George Douglas of Kirkness (died December 1609), married Margaret Forrester.
• Euphemia Douglas of Morton, married Sir Thomas Lyon of Auldbar, Master of Glamis.
• Lady Agnes Douglas, Countess of Argyll (1574- 3 May 1607), on 24 July 1592 married as his first wife Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll, the son of Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll and Agnes Keith, by whom she had one son and two daughters.
• Elizabeth Douglas of Morton, married Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, by whom she had issue.
• Jean Douglas of Morton.
• Mary Douglas of Morton, married Sir Walter Ogilvy, 1st Lord Ogilvy of Deskford, by whom she had issue.
• Margaret Douglas of Morton, married Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss.

Agnes's seven daughters were said to have been so beautiful that they were known as "the pearls of Lochleven".

In 1586, the earldom of Morton which had been forfeited in 1581 following the execution and attainder of the 4th Earl of Morton for being one of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley's murderers, returned to the Douglas family. In 1588, upon the death of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Morton, Sir William became the 6th Earl of Morton. From that time onward Agnes was styled the Countess of Morton. Sir William received the charter for the earldom on 20 July 1589.

William died sometime around the year 1606, which was the same year his wife died. Among their numerous descendants are included Diana, Princess of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowles. \

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: T.F.H. (1888). "Douglas, William, of Lochleven, Six or Seventh Earl of Morton (d 1606)". In Leslie Stephen. Dictionary of National Biography. 15. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 365,366. http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati15stepuoft#page/365/mode/1up. 

Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Archibald Douglas	Earl of Morton 1588–1606	Succeeded by William Douglas