General Notes

Name Suffix:<NSFX> 5th Lord Douglas
Also Known As:<_AKA> "Le Hardi"
Alias:<ALIA> /Le Hardi/
Sir William Douglas, or William de Douglas, known as "le  Hardi,"
succeeded his brother Hugh in 1288. He is known as the 1st  Earlor Lord
of Douglas, being the first of the family to assume the  full baronial
style of title. He is first mentioned in 1256, when his father declared
before a court that he had provided lands in  Warndon, in County
Northumberland, England, with two guardians, as  he was under age. He
next appears in 1267, when he was severely wounded in defense of his
father's house. He had married and was a widower, but little is known of
him before 12 Jan., 1289, when as Lord Douglas he wrote to the Abbot of
Kelso to deliver up to him the familycharters which had been in custody
of the abbey. He must have been in possession of the estates for some
time, though just when he succeeded is not certain, but it was probably
in his possession before April, 1288. About 1287/8 hehad made a bold
stroke for a wife by carrying off in a hostile manner, fromthe Manor of
Tranent, Eleanor, daughter of Matthew de Lovain and widow of William
Ferrers, Lord of Groby, and marrying her. She had come to Scotland to
secure her dower from her late husband's lands, which were extensive.
When complaint was made to King Edward I, he sent his precept to the
Sheriff of Northumberland to seize all goods and chattels of the said
William Douglas whichwere then in his bailiwick. But in 1290/1, in
consideration of a fine of ú100, the King granted to William Douglas the
benefit of her marriage. On 5 July,1291, Sir William with other magnates
did homage to King Edward, who was nowacknowledged as Lord Paramount of
Scotland. In May, 1297, he incurred the suspicion of Edward, and Robert
Bruce. afterwards King of Scotland, harried Duglasdale, and carried off
Sir William's wife and children. After the Battle ofStirling the English
left  Scotland, when they took with them William Douglas, and he was
committed to the Tower of London Oct. 12, 1297, and died the following
year, as in January, 1299, his widow received restoration of her dower
lands.

Alias:<ALIA> /Le Hardi/
Sir William Douglas, or William de Douglas, known as "le  Hardi,"
succeeded his brother Hugh in 1288. He is known as the 1st  Earlor Lord
of Douglas, being the first of the family to assume the  full baronial
style of title. He is first mentioned in 1256, when his father declared
before a court that he had provided lands in  Warndon, in County
Northumberland, England, with two guardians, as  he was under age. He
next appears in 1267, when he was severely wounded in defense of his
father's house. He had married and was a widower, but little is known of
him before 12 Jan., 1289, when as Lord Douglas he wrote to the Abbot of
Kelso to deliver up to him the familycharters which had been in custody
of the abbey. He must have been in possession of the estates for some
time, though just when he succeeded is not certain, but it was probably
in his possession before April, 1288. About 1287/8 hehad made a bold
stroke for a wife by carrying off in a hostile manner, fromthe Manor of
Tranent, Eleanor, daughter of Matthew de Lovain and widow of William
Ferrers, Lord of Groby, and marrying her. She had come to Scotland to
secure her dower from her late husband's lands, which were extensive.
When complaint was made to King Edward I, he sent his precept to the
Sheriff of Northumberland to seize all goods and chattels of the said
William Douglas whichwere then in his bailiwick. But in 1290/1, in
consideration of a fine of ú100, the King granted to William Douglas the
benefit of her marriage. On 5 July,1291, Sir William with other magnates
did homage to King Edward, who was nowacknowledged as Lord Paramount of
Scotland. In May, 1297, he incurred the suspicion of Edward, and Robert
Bruce. afterwards King of Scotland, harried Duglasdale, and carried off
Sir W