Douglas cause

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Douglas cause. On the death of the 1st duke of Douglas in 1761, the estates were disputed on behalf of his cousin, the duke of Hamilton, aged 5, and Archibald Stewart, claiming to be a nephew, aged 13. In 1767 the Court of Session decided against the nephew but in 1769 the House of Lords reversed the verdict. Stewart changed his name to Douglas and was given a barony in 1790. Since Douglas's mother would have been 51 at the time of his birth, the Lords' verdict was received with some surprise.

J. A. Cannon

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