William "le Hardi",
Lord of Douglas
William "le Hardi",
third from his namesake William
de Duglas, was a prominent baron at the time of William Wallace. He is most
notable for being the first Lord to join Wallace in his revolt against English
rule. Ronald McNair Scott, in his book "Robert the Bruce: King of
Scots", writes about William "le Hardi's" eager alliance with
Wallace,
"The gesture of Sir
William (Douglas) was typical of the man. Crusader, warrior, egoist, he had
gone his own throughout life with very little regard for anyone else. He had
flouted the guardians of the interregnum and insulted the authority of King
Edward by abducting and forcibly marrying Eleanor de Ferrers, an English
widow, while she was staying with relatives in Scotland."
He was captured by the English
and executed. He had three sons; Sir
James "The Good", Hugh
"The Dull", and Archibald, who became the first Regent of
Scotland.
2nd version:
WILLIAM 0~’ DOUGLAS (d. 1298), called “le hardi,”
Archibald’s grandson, was the first formally to assume the
title of lord of Douglas. After the death of his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter
of Alexander the Steward, he abducted from the manor of the La Zouches at
Tranent an heiress, Eleanor of Lovain, widow of William de Ferrers, lord of
Groby in Leicestershire, who in 1291 appeared by proxy in the court of the
English king, Edward I., to answer for the offence of marrying without his
permission. He gave a grudging allegiance to John de Baliol, and swore fealty to
Edward I. in 1291; but when the Scottish barons induced Baliol to break his bond
with Edward I. he corn— manded at Berwick Castle, which he surrendered after
the sack of the town by the English in 1296. After a short imprisonment Douglas
was restored to his Scottish estates on renewing his homage to Edward I., but
his English possessions were forfeited. He joined Wallace’s rising in 1297,
and died in 1298, a prisoner in the Tower of London.
Source: http://20.1911encyclopedia.org/D/DO/DOUGLAS_EARLS_OF.htm
3rd version
Sir William "le Hardi" of Douglas
was born c1240, but where the name "le Hardi" came from is unknown.
While governor of Berwick he was captured
when the town was besieged by the English and spent time in an English prison.
He was released later only after agreeing to accept English King Edward I as
overlord of Scotland. However he was later a strong supporter of and fought
alongside William Wallace. For this he was placed back in prison until his
death.
He first married Elizabeth
Stewart, and later married Eleanor
de Louvaine. I have one child by each, and one unsure:
child by Elizabeth Stewart
- Sir
James Douglas "the Good" (Lord of Douglas, c1286-25Aug1333) A
lifelong friend and supporter of Robert
the Bruce, King of Scots. After the Bruce’s death, Sir James was the
Black Douglas charged to take the
Heart of Robert the Bruce into battle. Sir James died in battle in Spain
during the crusade against the Moors. Had known (illegitimate) son:
- Archibald
Douglas "the Grim" fought in the defense of Edinburgh castle
against English King Henry IV in 1400, and achieved the rank of
Lieutenant General of Scotland. Was killed in action along with his son
while fighting the English in France.
child by Eleanor de Louvaine
- Sir
Archibald of Douglas
child probably by Elanor de Louvaine
- Hugh
Douglas (Lord of Douglas)
William "le Hardi" died in either
1298 or 1302 in a London prison.
Source: http://www.talweb.com/redlimey/gene/douglas.htm#ARCHBALD
Captured at Berwick, his
distant cousin, Robert, stood hostage for him
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