William of Douglas

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Sir William Douglas, known as Longleg, (c. 1220 – c. 1289) was a Scottish knight and the son of Archibald I, Lord of Douglas.

During King Alexander III’s minority (1249–1262), Scotland was torn between two rival groups: the nationalist party of Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith, and the pro-English party led by Alan Durward, Justiciar of Scotia. After a 1255 meeting at Kelso between English and Scottish leaders, Durward’s faction gained the upper hand.

When it was decided to appoint regents to govern until Alexander came of age, Douglas supported Durward’s party. This may have been because he controlled much of Douglasdale, and through his wife Constance he held the rich Manor of Fawdon in Northumberland, which could help keep English favor.

There are later, conflicting accounts about his marriage and children. Some traditional sources say Longleg married Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, and had two sons and a daughter who inherited Carrick, though this connection is disputed by historians. Other accounts say he married Constance Battail of Fawdon and had two sons and a daughter. The exact details of his family are uncertain.