William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus

Douglas was the eldest son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, Knt., by his spouse Agnes, daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal,[1] and upon the death of Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus without issue, William succeeded to that Earldom as heir-male,[2] in 1588.

Sir Robert Douglas states that "Sir William Douglas of Glenbervie [as he was styled prior to his succession to the earldom] was a man of great honour and integrity, and a steady friend of Queen Mary. He accompanied her in her expedition to the north, and behaved with utmost fortitude and resolution at the fight of Corrichie anno 1562".[3]

The earldom was claimed by James VI, who brought a suit against Douglas, for reducing the charters connected with the title, but on 7 March 1589, a decision was given in favour of the latter.[4]

He had two charters under The Great Seal of Scotland, from Queen Mary, of the lands and barony of Glenbervie, Kemnay, and several others.[3]

Douglas died in July 1591, in his 59th year.[2]

The earl married Giles, daughter of Sir Robert Graham of Morphie, and had six sons and four daughters:[1][3][2][5]

• William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus, eldest son and heir,[2]
• Archibald Douglas, Parson of Glenbervie (d. 1584).[2]
• George Douglas (d. 1590), who attended James VI in Denmark.[6]
• Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, received from his father the lands of Glenbervie by charter dated 14 July 1592.
• Duncan Douglas, Parson of Glenbervie (d.1591)
• Gavin Douglas (d. bef 1 October 1616) who married Elizabeth Keith; ancestors of the family of Douglas of Bridgeford
• Sir John Douglas of Barras
• Francis Douglas (d.c. 1600)
• Henry Douglas of Tannachy (d. 5 October 1595) who married Janet Murray at sometime before 1580. Had issue Janet Douglas born 16 April 1580 Dunfermline Scotland.
• Margaret Douglas, married William Forbes of Monymusk
• Jean Douglas, married John Wishart of Balisycht
• Elizabeth Douglas, married Thomas Gordon of Cluny
• Sarah Douglas, married 1st Robert Strachan, 2nd George Auchinleck of Balmanno

• Fraser, Sir William, The Douglas Book (4 Vols). Edinburgh 1885
• Burke, John; Burke, John Bernard (1848), The royal families of England, Scotland, and Wales: with their descendants, sovereigns and subjects, 1, London: E. Churton, pedigree CLXXXV
• Douglas, Sir Robert; et al. (1798), The Baronage of Scotland, Edinburgh, p. 19
• Anderson, William (1863), The Scottish Nation Or the Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours and Biographical History of The People of Scotland

• Burke, John; Burke, John Bernard (1851), The royal families of England, Scotland, and Wales: with their descendants, sovereigns and subjects, 2, London: E. Churton, pedigree CCVIII