He was created
Earl of Ormonde before 1445 when he attended a meeting of the
Parliament of Scotland, under that title. He received from his brother the 8th Earl, the lands of
Rattray,
Aberdour, and
Crimond in
Aberdeenshire, that of
Dunsyre,
Lanarkshire, and those of
Ardmanach (modern
Redcastle, between
Tore and
Muir of Ord) and Ormonde (modern-day
Avoch), in
Invernesshire. He led the Scots to victory at the
Battle of Sark, against a scion of the old Douglas enemy,
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland. Ormonde was left in control of the vast Douglas estates when his brother went on pilgrimage to
Rome in 1450. Following the assassination of his eldest brother by the hand of the king,
James II, Ormonde—along with his brothers—renounced their allegiance to the king and went into open rebellion. The brothers, excepting the new 9th Earl, faced the royal forces at the
Battle of Arkinholm. The royal army, led by a kinsman,
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, defeated the Black Douglas brethren. Moray died of his wounds, Balvenie escaped; Ormonde, however, was captured, tried and executed, his estates forfeit. ==Issue==