EARLDOM OF MORTON

The earldom of Morton was conferred by James the 2^nd on James Douglas of Dalkeith the head of the Douglas’s in Dumfriesshire in 1458 he married a daughter of James 1^st and their son became second Earl.

James the 4^th Earl was the famous Regent Morton who favoured the reformation and took part in the conspiracy against Rizzo and he was a Chief Commander at the Battle of Langside he was elected Regent  in 1572 but his administration was unpopular and in 1581 his enemies succeeded in bringing him to trial for his part in the murder of Darnley, for which he was executed.

He was in command of operations against Queen Mary’s partitions during the so called Douglas Wars he was Regent to the young King for 8 years during the boys minority.

Sir William Douglas of Lochleven became the Earl of Morton on the Death of the 8^th Earl of Angus and the Earldom of Angus after some opposition from the young King James as he was heir in line to Douglas of Glenbervie.

Power such as they once had passed from the Douglas’s but Honours still accumulated.

When Archibald Duke of Douglas died without issue in 1761 the son of his sister Lady Jane Douglas wife of Sir John Stewart of Grandtully was served heir to the Duke after a lot of lawsuit’s known as the Great Douglas Cause. But the title of  Marquis of Douglas Earl of Angus passed to the 7^th Duke of Hamilton. The Duke of Hamilton is now recognised as the Head of the Douglas’s  the present holder of the title is Douglas Douglas Hamilton 14^th Duke of Hamilton Premier Duke of Scotland and heir male to the House of Douglas.