Douglas

The Douglases took their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, from Gaelic words meaning black stream, with a William, Lord of Douglas first recorded in 1179. James, called the Good or the Black Douglas, was Robert the Bruce's lieutenant; after Bruce's death he carried the king's heart on crusade and was killed in Spain.

In 1358 the family became Earls of Douglas, and Archibald the Grim built up a Border power. The sixth earl and his brother were murdered at the Black Dinner of 1440, James II stabbed the eighth earl at Stirling in 1452, and the ninth earl's rebellion was crushed at Arkinholm in 1455.

The Red Douglases, earls of Angus, inherited their leading role and supplied regents and queens' consorts to later Stewart kings. Branches became Dukes of Hamilton and Queensberry and counts of Sweden.