Clan Douglas

Clan Douglas (Gaelic: Dùbhghlas) is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands.

Quick Facts Douglas, Motto ...

Douglas
Dùbhghlas[1]
Crest: On a chapeau, a green salamander surrounded by fire
Motto	Jamais arrière[lower-alpha 1] Tender and true Forward
Slogan	"A Douglas! A Douglas!"
Profile
Region	Lowlands
District	Lanarkshire,[1] Lothian, Scottish Marches, Angus,[1] Moray, Galloway[1] and Dumfriesshire[1]
Plant badge	Rue
Pipe music	Dumbarton's Drums
Douglas no longer has a chief, and is an armigerous clan
Historic seat	Douglas Castle[2]
Last Chief	His Grace Archibald Douglas The 1st Duke of Douglas
Died	21 July 1761[lower-alpha 2]
Septs of Douglas Cavers,[3] Douglass,[3] Drysdale,[3] Forest,[3] Forrest,[3] Glendinning,[3] Inglis,[3] Kirkpatrick,[3] Lockerby,[3] MacGuffie,[3] MacGuffock,[3]Morton,[3] Sandilands,[3]
Clan branches Black Douglas Red Douglas Douglas of Morton Douglas of Queensbury Douglas of Ormond and Forfar Douglas of Selkirk Douglas of Mains See also: Douglas baronets
Allied clans Clan Bell Clan Hamilton Clan Carmichael Clan Kirkpatrick Clan Forrester Clan Carruthers Clan Maxwell (16th century) Clan Heron Clan Campbell
Rival clans Clan Stewart Clan Crichton Clan Gordon Clan Sandilands Clan Charteris Clan Johnstone Clan Colville Clan Scott Clan MacLellan Clan Ramsay Clan Maxwell (17th century)

Close

Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also in France and Sweden. The family is one of the most ennobled in the United Kingdom and has held numerous titles.

The Douglases were one of Scotland's most powerful families,^[4] and certainly the most prominent family in lowland Scotland during the Late Middle Ages, often holding the real power behind the throne of the Stewart kings.^{[citation needed]} The heads of the House of Douglas held the titles of the Earl of Douglas (Black Douglas) and later the Earl of Angus (Red Douglas).^[5] The clan does not currently have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon. The principal Douglas today is the Duke of Hamilton, but as his surname is "Douglas-Hamilton" rather than simply "Douglas" the laws of the Lyon Court prevent him from assuming the chiefship of the name.

The original caput of the family was Douglas Castle in Lanarkshire. The Kirk of St Bride at Douglas, along with Melrose Abbey and the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés holds the remains of many of the Earls of Douglas and Angus.^[6]

The Swedish branch is descended from Field Marshal Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge, and has been one of Sweden's most prominent noble families since the 17th century.^[7][8]