Douglases of Dalkeith The Douglases of Dalkeith are descended from
Andrew Douglas of Hermiston (or
Herdmanston) (d.b. 1277), younger son of
Archibald I, Lord of Douglas (fl. c. 1198–1238). He was succeeded by his son
William Douglas of Hermiston, a signatory of the
Ragman Roll in 1296. William of Hermiston's son,
James Douglas of Lothian succeeded his father and produced two sons,
Sir William Douglas and
Sir John Douglas. Sir William Douglas, known as the
Knight of Liddesdale or the
Flower of Chivalry obtained the privileges of the barony of Dalkeith, in
Midlothian, in 1341, and the barony of
Aberdour, in
Fife, in 1342. Following his murder at the hands of his godson
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, both baronies passed to his nephew,
James Douglas, 1st Lord Dalkeith. James Douglas was confirmed in this position when his title was ratified by the Earl of Douglas prior to 1370. The lands of Dalkeith, and
Aberdour, in
Fife, were combined as a single barony in 1386, with the principal seat at
Dalkeith Castle, and a secondary residence at
Aberdour Castle. James was the brother of
Nicholas Douglas, 1st Lord of Mains.
Earldom of Morton The 4th Lord Dalkeith succeeded to his estates upon the resignation of his father c. 1457 and in 1458 was raised to the peerage as
Earl of Morton, prior to his marriage to
Joanna, the mute
deaf daughter of King
James I. Morton reached
Brechin, in
Angus, where he signed a deed resigning his lands to his kinsman Robert Douglas of
Lochleven, who was then compelled to resign the lands in turn to James V. However, once James VI reached the age of majority, the 4th Earl was implicated in the murder of James' father,
Lord Darnley in 1567, and was executed in 1581. The earldom was forfeited between 1581 and 1586, although the nephew-in-law of the 4th earl (also grandson of the 3rd earl),
John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (1552–1593) was created Earl of Morton in 1581, and continued to use the title until his death. Although
Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus (1555–1588) was confirmed as 5th Earl of Morton in 1586, Lord Maxwell's title of Morton, which had been revoked in 1585, was revived in 1587 and 1592. As a result, two families were in possession of the Earldom, and a conflict arose. This continued into the time of the 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648), when
John Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell (c. 1586–1613), also claimed the earldom. Lord Maxwell, however, was forfeited in 1609 and his rights then failed, his titles and estates being restored in 1618 to his brother Robert, with the title of
Earl of Nithsdale (1620) in lieu of Morton. ==Lords of Dalkeith (1341)==