Alexander Douglas (

fl. ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...

1528) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...

and priest in the Pre-Reformation church. He was the son of Sir

Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie Sir Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie (c. 1475 – bef. 1536), also known as ''Greysteil'', was a Scottish nobleman and courtier, who served as Treasurer of Scotland, and was three times Provost of Edinburgh. Life Rise Kilspindie was the fou ...

Treasurer of Scotland The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre- Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland. Lord Treasurer The full title of the post was ''Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation'', ...

. After the death of Robert Shaw,

Bishop of Moray The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. If the foundation charter of the monastery at Scone is reliable, then the Bishopric of Mor ...

, Alexander was given crown nomination to the

Apostolic see An apostolic see is an episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus or to one of their close associates. In Catholicism, the phrase "The Apostolic See" when capitalized refers specifically to the See of ...

as Shaw's successor. At that time, during the minority of King

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...

, Alexander's kinsman

Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 148922 January 1557) was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and succ ...

, was in control of the country. However, this appointment was opposed by

John Stewart, Duke of Albany John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (8 July 1482 – 2 June 1536) was the regent of the Kingdom of Scotland and the count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France. Early life John was a son of Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, son of King James I ...

, Angus' rival, who was supporting his own brother, Alexander Stewart. The fall of Angus in late 1528 appears to have doomed his candidature. He largely disappears from the records, and it is Stewart who succeeds to the bishopric. However, he does appear on some of the lists of bishops as Alexander Douglas I to distinguish him from another member of his extended family, Alexander Douglas II.

References

* Watt, D.E.R., ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969) Nobility from East Lothian 16th-century Scottish clergy Bishops of Moray Alexander Douglas Year of birth missing Year of death missing {{UK-bishop-stub