| Clan Crichton | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Crest: A dragon spouting out fire, proper | |||
| Motto | God send grace | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| David Crichton of that Ilk [1] | |||
| Chief of clan Crichton, The Crichton of that Ilk | |||
| Seat | Monzie Castle, Crieff [1] | ||
| Historic seat | Crichton Castle | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Crichton is a Lowland Scottish clan that historically ruled Dumfries. [2]
One of the earliest baronies around Edinburgh was formed from the lands of Kreitton and is mentioned in charters of the early 12th century. [2] In 1128 Thurstan de Crechtune witnessed the foundation of Holyrood Abbey by David I of Scotland. [2] Thurstan's son, Thomas de Crichton is listed on the Ragman Rolls of 1296, swearing fealty to Edward I of England. [2] Thomas's three sons each extended the family's holdings. [2] The second son, William, married Isobel de Ross who was the heiress to the barony of Sanquhar in Dumfriesshire. [2]
In 1464 Sir Robert Crichton of Sanquhar was sheriff of the county of Dumfries. From 1468 to 1469 he was also Coroner of Nithsdale. [2] In 1487 his eldest son, Robert Crichton, was created a peer with the title Lord Crichton of Sanquhar by James III of Scotland. [2]
Another descendant of Thomas de Crichton was Sir William Crichton who in 1439 was appointed to the office of Chancellor of Scotland, during the minority of James II of Scotland. Crichton organised the infamous "Black Dinner" at Edinburgh Castle of which he was constable. The Earl of Douglas and his brother were invited as guests of honour to a royal banquet at the castle, where King James was in residence. After the dinner the two Douglases were dragged from the boy king's presence and executed on Castle Hill. The Clan Douglas, never slow to take revenge, laid siege to the castle, which Crichton surrendered to the king, and a truce was declared. The Douglases would go on to make an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Crichton, who was later given the title Lord Crichton. [2]
The second Lord Crichton obtained the barony of Frendraught in Banffshire through marriage. [2] The third Lord Crichton sided with the Duke of Albany in his rebellion against his own brother, James III of Scotland. Crichton garrisoned Crichton Castle against the king, but the rebellion failed and as a result the Crichton estates were forfeited for treason. [2]
In about 1552, William Crichton, third Lord Sanquhar, was killed in the house of the Regent Arran, by Lord Sempill (chief of Clan Sempill). [2] The sixth Lord Sanquhar died in disgrace, having been accused of being involved in the murder of a fencing master who had blinded Crichton in one eye years before. [2]
James Crichton is perhaps the most celebrated member of the Clan Crichton. He is known in history as "Admirable Crichton" due to his superb mental and physical prowess. He is said to have mastered all of the knowledge of his time and been able to speak and write in ten different languages, all by the age of twenty; he was also a feared swordsman. James Crichton studied at the University of St Andrews then travelled to Paris, where he challenged professors of the city to dispute with him on any branch of science or literature, offering to answer in any of his ten languages. The following day he was declared champion at a public joust. In 1582 Crichton was set upon by a gang, of which he killed five. Recognizing the sixth—the gang leader—as one of his own students, he dropped his guard, whereupon he was stabbed in the heart. [2]
During the Civil War another James Crichton, 1st Viscount Frendraught supported the royalist James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose. [2] Crichton was present at Montrose's defeat at the Battle of Carbisdale (also known as the Battle of Invercarron) in 1650. [2] It is said that Crichton gave his horse to Montrose so that he could escape. [2] Crichton was taken prisoner. [2]
The double-barrelled surname originates from the fact that the chiefs are direct descendants of the Maitland family, the Earls of Lauderdale, and Clan Makgill. Royal Navy Captain Frederick Maitland married Margaret Dick. Dick's grandmother was an heiress of Clan Makgill of Rankeilour and a descendant of James Crichton, 1st Viscount Frendraught of Clan Crichton through inter-marriage. One of their direct descendants Charles established his right to the chiefship and was recognised by a Lyon Court decree in 1980. [3] [4]
Members of the extended Maitland-Makgill-Crichton family include distinguished military officers, many of whom served in the various Scottish regiments during both World Wars, such as Major-General Edward Maitland-Makgill-Crichton [5] and Brigadier Henry Maitland-Makgill-Crichton.
Incomplete list
Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.
Duke of Buccleuch, formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created twice on 20 April 1663, first for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, and second suo jure for his wife Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch. Monmouth, the eldest illegitimate son of King Charles II, was attainted after rebelling against his uncle King James II and VII, but his wife's title was unaffected and passed on to their descendants, who have successively borne the surnames Scott, Montagu-Scott, Montagu Douglas Scott and Scott again. In 1810, the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch inherited the Dukedom of Queensberry, also in the Peerage of Scotland, thus separating that title from the Marquessate of Queensberry.
Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute.
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton.
Earl of Dumfries is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was originally created for William Crichton, 9th Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, in 1633, and stayed in the Crichton family until the death of the fourth countess in 1742, at which point the title passed to first the Dalrymple and then the MacDouall families before finally being inherited by the Marquesses of Bute, where it remains today.
Clan Scott is a Scottish clan and is recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Historically the clan was based in the Scottish Borders.
Clan Gordon is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire. The Chief of the clan is the Earl of Huntly, later the Marquess of Huntly.
James Crichton, 1st Viscount Frendraught was a Scottish peer.
Clan Makgill is a Lowland Scottish clan.
Frederick Lewis Maitland was a distinguished officer of the Royal Navy.
Clan Stuart of Bute is a Highland Scottish Clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Stewart.
Margaret Stewart was the younger daughter of James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders. Once engaged to the Lancastrian Prince of Wales, Margaret instead became the mistress of William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton, and the mother of his illegitimate daughter, Margaret Crichton, later Countess of Rothes, and possibly his son, Sir James Crichton, progenitor of the Viscounts of Frendraught. Margaret and Lord Crichton may have been married later, after the death of Crichton's wife.
John Maxwell, 4th Lord Maxwell was a Scottish nobleman and patriarch of the Border Family / House / Clan of Maxwell.
Robert Sempill, 3rd Lord Sempill was a Scottish lord of Parliament.
The Battle of Dryfe Sands was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 6 December 1593, near Lockerbie, Scotland. It was fought between the Clan Maxwell and Clan Johnstone after a hundred years of feuding between them. The Johnstones won a decisive victory over the Maxwells.
The Decreet of Ranking of 5 March 1606 determined the relative precedence of members of the peerage of Scotland.
Viscount of Frendraught was a title in the Peerage of Scotland.
William Crichton, 1st Earl of Dumfries the ninth Lord Crichton, was born to William Crichton and Katherine Carmichael.
David Maitland Makgill Crichton was a Scottish lawyer who inherited his father's estate at Nether Rankeilour in Fife to become a country gentleman. He played an important role in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland and consequently was photographed by Hill & Adamson. He organised a local committee to start the Fife Sentinel newspaper. Following his death a memoir of his life was published, written by J. W. Taylor, a Free Church minister from Fife. His statue overlooks the South Bridge in Cupar.
Arthur Henry Johnstone-Douglas JP DL was a Scottish soldier and politician.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)