The Ancestors of Helen Pegg Home Page:Information about William "Le Hardi" Douglas
William "Le Hardi" Douglas (b. 1225, d. 1298)
Notes for William "Le Hardi" Douglas:
Sir William, 6th Chief of Douglas
Death: Aft 1298 in While Prisoner In The Tower Of London
Note: BIOGRAPHY: Sir William Douglas, or William de Douglas, known as "le Hardi," succeeded his brother Hugh in 1288. He is known as the 1st Earl or Lord of Douglas, being the first of the family to assume the full baronial style of title. He is first mentioned in 1256, when his father declared before a court that he had provided lands in Warndon, in County Northumberland, England, with two guardians, as he was under age. He next appears in 1267, when he was severely wounded in defense of his father's house. He had married and was a widower, but little is known of him before 12 Jan., 1289, when as Lord Douglas he wrote to the Abbot of Kelso to deliver up to him the family charters which had been in custody of the abbey. He must have been in possession of the estates for some time, though just when he succeeded is not certain, but it was probably in his possession before April, 1288. About 1287/8 he had made a bold stroke for a wife by carrying off in a hostile manner, from the Manor of Tranent, Eleanor, daughter of Matthew de Lovain and widow of William Ferrers, Lord of Groby, and marrying her. She had come to Scotland to secure her dower from her late husband's lands, which were extensive. When complaint was made to King Edward I, he sent his precept to the Sheriff of Northumberland to seize all goods and chattels of the said William Douglas which were then in his bailiwick. But in 1290/1, in consideration of a fine of ?100, the King granted to William Douglas the benefit of her marriage. On 5 July, 1291, Sir William with other magnates did homage to King Edward, who was now acknowledged as Lord Paramount of Scotland. In May, 1297, he incurred the suspicion of Edward, and Robert Bruce. afterwards King of Scotland, harried Duglasdale, and carried off Sir William's wife and children. After the Battle of Stirling the English left Scotland, when they took with them William Douglas, and he was committed to the Tower of London Oct. 12, 1297, and died the following year, as in January, 1299, his widow received restoration of her dower lands.
He was married 3 times.
Children of William "Le Hardi" Douglas and Dornagilla Comyn are:
- +Archibald Earl of Douglas, d. July 19, 1333, Battle of Hallidan Hill, Berwickshire, Scotland.