John Douglas

John Douglas (c. 1500 – 1574) was Protestant Archbishop of St. Andrews from 1571 to 1574. As was tradition from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries, the Archbishop also took on the role of Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, as the University had strong links with the Pre-Reformation church.

Life John Douglas, was born in Longnewton, Roxburghshire, the 'bastard son natural of quondam' Robert Douglas. Letters of legitimation were granted on 2 January 1563–64. He graduated at University of Paris, where he was a fellow-student of Archibald Hay in Montague College. He was probably the "magister Johannes Douglas," who matriculated from the Psedagogium on 25th June 1523. He was appointed by Queen Mary prior to 1 October 1547, on which date the commendator and sub-prior gave notice of the appointment to the vicar of Tynninghame and the curates of Inchbryok and Tannadice, with instructions to announce it in their respective churches, the revenues of these churches being part of the endowment of the College. He was made rector of the University, 1551–73. Douglas was one of the "Six Johns" who wrote the First Book of Discipline and the Scots Confession of 1560.

He was consecrated Archbishop of St Andrews 10 February 1572. He was first to hold a Protestant Episcopate in Scotland. He died in October 1576.