DOUGLAS, ROBERT [SSNE 2372]
Text source
Robert Douglas was a Scottish clergyman who served the Swedish army. He served as a Presbyterian chaplain to a Scottish brigade sent to King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden, first appearing in 1626 in the regiment of Sir james Spens of Wormiston [SSNE 1642]. Gustav Adolf is attributed as saying of him "Mr Douglasse might be a counselour to any Prince in Europe. For prudence and knowledge he might be Moderatour to a Generall Councill; and even for military skill ... I could very freely trust my army to his conduct" [Wodrow]. However, Douglas subsequently returned to Scotland, as did many other officers in Swedish service. Douglas was in Edinburgh in 1641 and acted many times as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Scottish Kirk.
Sources: Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1626/4; Robert Wodrow, Analecta: Or Materials for a History of Remarkable Providences Mostly relating to Scotch Ministers and Christians, vol. II (Glasgow, 1842), p.136; A. C. Dow, Ministers to the Soldiers of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1962), pp.59-60.
Service record
- SWEDEN, JAMES SPENS
- Departed 1626-12-31, as CHAPLAIN
- Capacity REG. CHAPLAIN, purpose MILITARY, ECCLESIASTICAL
- SWEDEN, SCOTTISH TROOPS
- Departed 1632-12-31, as CHAPLAIN
- Capacity REG. CHAPLAIN, purpose MILITARY, ECCLESIASTICAL