Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Morton

Family

From http://thepeerage.com/p10963.htm#i109625

Lady Elizabeth Douglas is the daughter of James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton and Catherine Stewart.1 She married James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, son of Sir George Douglas and Elizabeth Douglas, in 1543.1

After her marriage, Lady Elizabeth Douglas was styled as Countess of Morton on 2 June 1564.

Children of Lady Elizabeth Douglas and James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton

• unknown daughter Douglas2
• unknown daughter Douglas2
• unknown daughter Douglas2

Biography

James Douglas was the second son of Sir George Douglas of Pittendreich, Master of Angus, and Elizabeth Douglas, daughter David Douglas of Pittendreich. He wrote that he was over 61 years old in March 1578, so was probably born around 1516. Before 1543 he married Elizabeth, daughter of James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton. In 1553 James Douglas succeeded to the title and estates of his father-in-law, including Dalkeith House in Midlothian, and Aberdour Castle in Fife.

From Electric Scotland: Significant Scots: James Douglas

"He [James Douglas] seems to have followed in the wake of his father Sir George, who was a prime agent of king Henry; and who, in April, 1543, engaged, with others, to deliver up the lowland part of Scotland to the English monarch. Previous to this period, the future regent had been married to Elizabeth Douglas, third daughter of James, third earl of Morton, who was induced to bequeath his title and all his estates to this fortunate son-in-law, conjointly with this wife. [The mother of the regent’s wife, was Katherine Stewart, a natural daughter of king James IV.]"

Elizabeth Douglas and her two elder sisters, who were married to Regent Arran and Lord Maxwell, suffered from mental ill-health. Their children either did not survive to adulthood, or in the case of three daughters were declared legally incompetent in 1581. James also had five illegitimate children."

After the execution of her husband, Morton's wife, Dame Elizabeth Douglas was found by an inquest to be incapable of managing her affairs, as she was "idiot and prodigal" in the language of the time. King James VI signed a warrant to appoint a legal guardian called an "administrator and tutor" to supervise and protect her property.[20]

The three sisters, like their mother would be declared incapable by a "brieve of idiotry". [21]

Citations

• Hewitt, George R., Scotland under Morton, John Donald (1982), p.1
• 20. Fraser, William, eds., Lennox Muniments, vol.2 (1874), 321-322, (the name of the tutor is left blank in the original)
• 21. Fraser, William, ed., Carlaverock Book, vol.1 (1873) pp.252-3, 271

SOURCE: Wikipedia contributors, 'James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 November 2012, 15:46 UTC, <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Douglas,_4th_Earl_o...> [accessed 10 November 2012]

Sources

1. A History of the House of Douglas from the Earliest Times Down to the Legislative Union of England & Scotland, Hon. Sir Herbert Maxwell, (Freemantle & Co. 217 Piccadilly W., 1902 Original, 2 volume set, property of Hon. Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple 1888- vg), v.1 p.285 (Reliability: 3). Declared "furious for 2 and 20 years" in 1581