James Douglas

James Douglas, Lord of Douglas was a supporting character in the 2018 movie Outlaw King.

He was portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

In 1304 Douglas approached King Edward I after the Scottish nobility surrendered after the Battle of Falkirk to petition for the return of his lands. Edward ruled against Douglas, keeping the Douglas family holdings in English possession.

When Robert Bruce was on his way to Scone to be crowned as King of the Scots, Douglas went to meet him, and swore himself to Bruce's service. From their meeting on the road to Scone, Douglas became one of Bruce's right hand men and leading military commanders.

Douglas was present at the Battle of Methven, in which the English conducted a sneak attack at night against Bruce's forces. He was one of the few men who managed to escape with Bruce, and one of the fewer to survive an attack by Clan MacDougall on the way to Islay.

At Islay Douglas and Robert regrouped and prepared to take the offensive to the English. Douglas took note of Lord Angus Og MacDonald's daughter and chatted her up during his time at Islay, something that MacDonald definitely did not like.

Given five men by Robert, Douglas returned to his family castle, and managed to take the castle from the English with only these five men. He invited the local villagers in to partake of the feast that had been set for the English to celebrate Passover. Douglas and his men stripped the castle of everything they could before burning it down.

When Prince Edward approached Louden Hill, Douglas went out to meet them and to inform them that Bruce was waiting for them. The next day an outnumbered Scottish force was defeated in battle by Bruce, with Douglas taking part in the battle. Douglas would continue to serve Bruce as one of his top generals in the wars of Scottish independence.