Douglas's body

by Duncan Brown

Sep 23

After Sir James was killed by the Moorts at Teba in the south of Spain, they were clearing up, and looting the bodies of those killed, when they recognized the three silver stars on his coat of arms. They then sent a message up to the Spanish king Alphonse in the castle to ask him if he wanted the body of the great warrior returned,. Indeed he did, and the Moors put a few shields together with some animal skins on them, and ceremoniously carried the body of James Douglas back in to the castle. I sensed the honour in it, and had to do the painting you see here. The people of Teba to this day have an annual celebration of that battle, and when they saw this painting, they asked if they could use it as an advertising poster for the event, which I think they still use.