page_title: George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton / Career
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Ingekleurde Dubbelplatige prent
context_page_description: Major-General George Douglas, Earl of Dumbarton and Lord of Ettrick KT was a Scottish professional soldier, who spent much of his career in the service of Louis XIV. In 1678, he returned to England; as a Catholic, he was a trusted servant of James II & VI and went into exile with him after the 1688 Glorious Revolution. He died at the palace of St Germain-en-Laye in March, 1692.
context_section_description: During the Interregnum of 1649–1660 that followed the execution of Charles I in January 1649, many Royalists lived in exile and joined units in foreign service, like the Dutch Scots Brigade. Such formations were common to all armies, with loyalties often based on religion or personal relationships; Marshall Turenne (1611-1675), considered the greatest general of his time, was a French Protestant who served in the Dutch army from 1625-1635. 
  The Régiment de Douglas was one such unit; formed in 1633 and recruited in Scotland, it had served with the French army ever since. In this period, regiments were the personal property of their Colonel and valuable financial assets; in 1645, ownership passed to the Earl of Angus, who remained in Scotland and assigned the Colonelcy to Dumbarton in 1653. 
  The complex politics of this period meant individuals like Dumbarton needed both political and military skills; during the 1648-1653 Fronde or Civil War in France, as a foreign, Catholic-officered unit, his regiment was one of the few the young Louis XIV could rely on. However, in the latter stages of the 1635-1659 Franco-Spanish War, France allied with the English Commonwealth against Spain. Many exiled Royalists in France, including the future James II, now changed sides and the regiment was assigned to garrison duty to prevent its defection.
   
  In 1660, Charles II was restored as King of Scotland and England, leading to an attempted coup in January 1661 by Puritan radicals. Dumbarton's troops were sent to England but the revolt was quickly crushed and they returned to France, since the Cavalier Parliament refused to finance replacements for the disbanded New Model Army; this would be an issue throughout Charles' reign.
  Dumbarton stayed in France until 1678, apart from a short period during the 1664-67 Second Anglo-Dutch War when his unit was based at Chatham dockyard. The diarist Samuel Pepys met him in Rochester and recorded that "Here in the streets, I did hear the Scotch march beat by the drums before the soldiers, which is very odde." In 1667, the regiment was accused of looting after the Medway Raid and ordered back to France; while awaiting transport, over 700 of the 1,500 men deserted. In October 1669, Dumbarton was so badly wounded in a duel his death was reported in the newspapers. 
  Under the 1670 Treaty of Dover, England agreed an alliance with France against the Dutch Republic, including the supply of 6,000 troops for the French army. It also contained secret provisions which were not revealed until 1771, including the payment to Charles of £230,000 per year for these troops. The Brigade fought primarily in the Rhineland, to avoid potential clashes with English and Scots serving with the Dutch; a large part of it was provided by Dumbarton, whose regiment was expanded to 33 companies or 3,432 men. 
  However, the alliance with Catholic France was deeply unpopular and England withdrew from the war after the 1674 Treaty of Westminster. Anxious to keep his French subsidies, Charles encouraged Dumbarton and other members of the Brigade to remain in French service during the 1672-1678 Franco-Dutch War. Charles created him Earl of Dumbarton and Lord of Ettrick in 1675 but neither came with estates and Dumbarton complained they simply cost him large amounts of money; in 1677, Louis appointed him Maréchal de camp or Lieutenant General in the French Army. 
  In 1678, concerns over the Catholic James succeeding Charles resulted in the Popish Plot, in which over 100 people were falsely accused of conspiracy to murder Charles; 22 were executed and this was followed by the 1678-1681 Exclusion Crisis. At the same time, the end of the Franco-Dutch War led to Dumbarton's regiment being discharged from the French army in June 1678; in January 1679, it was reformed and listed on the English military establishment as the 'First Foot.' This was a temporary response to the unsettled political climate and to reduce Parliamentary scrutiny, the regiment was sent to Ireland in 1680, part of it also joining the Tangier Garrison.
  As a Catholic military p
caption: The 1678 Battle of Saint-Denis which ended the Franco-Dutch War and Dumbarton's employment by Louis XIV
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