George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness
Encyclopedia
George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness (ca. 1409 - August 1454/1455), was a Scottish peer
.
Succeeding his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire, he was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was ambassador
to the Brittany to negotiate the marriage of James II
's sister Isabella
. He later served as Lord High Admiral of Scotland
, sheriff of Stirling
, and Keeper of Stirling Castle
.
. He was sometimes called "of Blackness", in Linlithgowshire, which became his principal estate, and sometimes "of Cairns".
Crichton married frstly, about 1425, a daughter of Sir William Douglas of Strathbrock, by whom he had a son, James. About 1450, he married secondly Janet, a daughter of Sir William Borthwick of that Ilk, who was the widow of Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith and also of Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy. In 1454 their daughter Janet married Robert Maxwell, 2nd Lord Maxwell (who died c. 1485).
He succeeded his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire and was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was sent as an ambassador
to the Duchy of Brittany, to negotiate the marriage of James II
's sister Isabella
. He witnessed some crown charters
during his cousin William Crichton
's first term of office as Lord Chancellor of Scotland
, and was appointed as Lord High Admiral of Scotland
in 1448.
Following the fall of the Livingstons, Crichton was appointed as sheriff of Stirling
and as Keeper of Stirling Castle
. By the end of 1452 he was also Justiciar
south of the Forth
. In June of 1452 he was created Earl of Caithness
. He then began to entail
his property to prevent his son, James Crichton, from succeeding to his estates and title. In retaliation, James imprisoned his father in Blackness Castle
, but he was rescued by the King. A compromise settlement was agreed, under which James would inherit the ancestral estate of Cairns and also received from the Scottish crown some land in Perthshire
. The rest of Crichton's property, as well as his Earldom, were to go to the crown when he died, which he did in August 1454.
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
.
Succeeding his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire, he was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Brittany to negotiate the marriage of James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
's sister Isabella
Isabella of Scotland
Not to be confused with Isabella of Scotland, Countess of NorfolkIsabella Stewart was a Scottish princess and by marriage the Duchess of Brittany...
. He later served as Lord High Admiral of Scotland
Lord High Admiral of Scotland
The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707.The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors and inspection of all sea...
, sheriff of Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, and Keeper of Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
.
Life
The elder son of Stephen Crichton of Cairns, Edinburghshire, who died in 1434, Crighton built up an estate mostly in south-west Scotland and LothianLothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
. He was sometimes called "of Blackness", in Linlithgowshire, which became his principal estate, and sometimes "of Cairns".
Crichton married frstly, about 1425, a daughter of Sir William Douglas of Strathbrock, by whom he had a son, James. About 1450, he married secondly Janet, a daughter of Sir William Borthwick of that Ilk, who was the widow of Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith and also of Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy. In 1454 their daughter Janet married Robert Maxwell, 2nd Lord Maxwell (who died c. 1485).
He succeeded his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire and was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was sent as an ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Duchy of Brittany, to negotiate the marriage of James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
's sister Isabella
Isabella of Scotland
Not to be confused with Isabella of Scotland, Countess of NorfolkIsabella Stewart was a Scottish princess and by marriage the Duchess of Brittany...
. He witnessed some crown charters
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
during his cousin William Crichton
William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton
William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton of Sanquhar was an important political figure in Scotland.He held various positions within the court of James I. At the death of James I, William Crichton was Sheriff of Edinburgh, Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, and Master of the King’s household...
's first term of office as Lord Chancellor of Scotland
Lord Chancellor of Scotland
The Lord Chancellor of Scotland was a Great Officer of State in pre-Union Scotland.Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal...
, and was appointed as Lord High Admiral of Scotland
Lord High Admiral of Scotland
The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707.The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors and inspection of all sea...
in 1448.
Following the fall of the Livingstons, Crichton was appointed as sheriff of Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
and as Keeper of Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
. By the end of 1452 he was also Justiciar
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
south of the Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
. In June of 1452 he was created Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...
. He then began to entail
Entail
Entail may refer to:* Fee tail, a term of art in common law describing a limited form of succession....
his property to prevent his son, James Crichton, from succeeding to his estates and title. In retaliation, James imprisoned his father in Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of...
, but he was rescued by the King. A compromise settlement was agreed, under which James would inherit the ancestral estate of Cairns and also received from the Scottish crown some land in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. The rest of Crichton's property, as well as his Earldom, were to go to the crown when he died, which he did in August 1454.