James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry

From Freepedia

James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry and 1st Duke of Dover (18 December 1662–6 July 1711), was a Scottish nobleman.

He was the eldest son of William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry.

Educated at Glasgow University, he was appointed a Scottish Privy Counsellor in 1684, and was lieutenant-colonel of Dundee's regiment of horse. He joined William III in 1688 and was appointed colonel of the 6th Horse Guards.

He was appointed Lord High Treasurer of Scotland from 1693 and Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1695 to 1702. He was Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland in 1700, 1702 and 1703, in which role he procured the abandonment of the Darién scheme.

He was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1701, and was Secretary of State from 1702. He encouraged the Jacobites by his undecided attitude on the question of the settlement, and was deluded into unconsciously furthering the Jacobite designs of Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat. He withdrew from government in 1704.

He was reinstated as Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1705, was a comissioner of the estates in 1706, and procured the signing of the Treaty of Union. He was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1709 until his death.

He was created Duke of Dover, Marquess of Beverley and Earl of Ripon in 1708, and appointed to the British Privy Council in the same year.

Preceded by:	Lord High Treasurer of Scotland 1693-?	Succeeded by:
Preceded by: The Earl of Melville	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1695-1702	Succeeded by: The Duke of Atholl
Preceded by: The Earl of Hyndford and The Earl of Seafield	Secretary of State 1702-1704 (with George Mackenzie)	Succeeded by: The Earl of Roxburghe and The Earl of Seafield
Preceded by: The Duke of Atholl	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1705-1709	Succeeded by: The Duke of Montrose
Preceded by: The Earl of Mar	Secretary of State for Scotland 1709-1711	Succeeded by: The Earl of Mar

Preceded by: William Douglas	Duke of Queensberry 1695-1711	Succeeded by: Charles Douglas
Preceded by: New Creation	Duke of Dover 1708-1711