Clan of the Month - Digging deep into Douglas History

The Douglas Clan became one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in Scotland, with the name Douglas said to be derived from the Gaelic meaning "black water". Although there are many early origins of the clan which remain unknown, the first association of Douglas on record is that of Theobald le Fleming, who was granted the Douglas lands in Lanarkshire, by the Abbot of Kelso, in the early 12th century. His son, William I, was styled Lord of Douglas and he was the first man to assume the name.

As centuries went on, the Douglas family became more powerful. Sir James Douglas, who died in 1330, was known as the "The Black Douglas" and fought beside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Independence. Shortly before Bruce died in 1329, he asked Sir James Douglas to take his heart in a casket to Jerusalem and place it in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. James and his loyal group of Douglas' were confronted by the Moors of Spain while transporting the heart. Following this, James is said to have uttered the rallying call "Foreward Braveheart" as he led a full frontal assault on the Moors but sadly James and the majority of his followers were reported to have been killed. The story goes that the King’s heart was subsequently returned to Scotland to be buried at Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders, where it still lies today.

Throughout the origins of the clan and for many centuries to come, Douglas territories could be found across the Borders and into Northumberland, but the main territories are in the Lowlands of Scotland, including Lanarkshire, Galloway, Dumfriesshire and Angus. As a Berwicker, I'm not too far from the original Douglas territories and would recommend visiting them if you want to learn your Douglas history.

Members of Clan Douglas fought amongst many battles, none more notable than the Wars of Independence during the 13th and 14th centuries. Scotland and England are two nations divided by their history and that divide was never wider than during this period of history. During the Wars of Independence, Sir William Douglas the Hardy, Lord of Douglas, was governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed when the town and Berwick Castle were besieged by the forces of Edward I of England. There are parts of Berwick Castle that remain today and if you are ever visiting the famous walled town, then be sure to take a walk along the river and discover the castle ruins.

Douglas was subsequently captured and was released only after he had agreed to accept the claim of the English king to be overlord of Scotland. He subsequently joined William Wallace in fighting for Scottish independence, but was captured and taken to England, where he died in 1298, a prisoner in the Tower of London.

The Battle of Bannockburn, which took place in June 1314, was a decisive battle in Scottish history whereby the Scots under Robert the Bruce defeated the English under Edward II, expanding Robert's territory and influence. The victory was a combination of Bruce’s demand of 1313: that all of the remaining Balliol supporters acknowledge his kingship or forfeit their estates, and the imminent surrender of the English garrison encircled in Stirling castle - which spurred Edward II to invade Scotland. Although the victory for the Scots did not bring outright victory in the war, it did assist with it and was declared 14 years in the future at the negotiating table.

As previously mentioned, Sir James Douglas was also known as "The Black Douglas", but what was the reason behind this? To the Scots, he was known as Good Sir James Douglas. However, to the English, he was referred to as The Black Douglas, mainly due to his dangerous ferocity in battles and brutal raiding style. One of his most fearsome attacks was the siege of Roxburgh Castle, which took place in 1314. Due to the Castle being well guarded, Sir James Douglas disguised his men as cows to surprise the guards. There were many casualties during the siege, including the leader being struck in the face with an arrow!

Although he was arguably overshadowed throughout time by his monumental leader, the deeds of Sir James Douglas provide an important part of history linking back to 14th Century Scotland and the Wars of Independence.

Douglas Castle is the historic seat of Clan Douglas. After being well established by 1300, it served as a stronghold for the Clan up until the 19th century. The castle was occupied by the English during the Wars of Independence and on Palm Sunday, 1307, Sir James Douglas and a few followers trapped the English garrison while they were worshipping in the castle chapel, before burning it to the ground. This event, which also badly damaged the rest of Douglas Castle, became known as the Douglas Larder. Very little remains of the Castle Douglas, except for a corner tower of three storeys and vaulted cellars, dating back to the 16th century.

Sir Walter Scott immortalised Castle Douglas in his story Castle Dangerous. Whilst he implemented his eye-catching style into this novel, Scott became somewhat unhappy with his representation of the Douglas area, which he had not visited since he was a child. As a result, he decided to take a trip to Lanarkshire to refresh his memory. The legacy of Sir Walter Scott is still widely celebrated today and his house, Abbotsford, remains one of the most famous of its kind in the world. The house stands on the banks of the River Tweed, not too far from the Border town of Melrose. Abbotsford was built on the proceeds of his hugely successful career and if you take a trip to the house, you will become immersed in the history of one of Scotland's most famous writers.

The town of Castle Douglas was founded in 1792 by William Douglas. He had apparently made his money in an American trade and created a planned town on the shores of Carlingwark Loch. The town's layout is based upon the grid plan pattern of streets as used in Edinburgh's new town, built around the same time. Over time, transport links to the town have improved significantly and now it is increasingly seen as a base for those touring south west Scotland.

Built in the late 1600s by William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensbury on the site of the former 14th and 15th century Douglas stronghold, Drumlanrig is home of the Duke of Buccleuch. Over time, the Douglas family stayed close to the monarchy, a relationship which was deemed successful by both the Douglases and the royals. However, the relationship did have its difficult times and James Douglas was one of the Lords responsible for driving Mary, Queen of Scots out of the country in 1567. Drumlanrig Castle is now a 5-star tourist attraction and houses the internationally renowned Buccleuch Art Collection. By visiting the castle, you'll immerse yourself in over 600 years of Clan Douglas history!

The clan's motto is "Jamais Arriere", which translates to "Never Behind". The clan badge features a salamander encircled in flames and includes their motto, as shown below.

The Douglas tartan is primarily green, with blue and white running through it. The tartan comes in five different variations: Modern, Ancient, Weathered, Grey Modern, and Grey Ancient. You can find out more about the Douglas tartans across on the clan page.