Clan Carmichael facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clan Carmichael |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Crest: A dexter hand and arm in pale armed and holding a broken spear Proper
|
|||
| Motto | Tout Jour Prest ("Always Ready") | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | South Lanarkshire | ||
| Chief | |||
 |
|||
| Richard Carmichael of Carmichael | |||
| 30th Chief of the Name and Arms of Carmichael | |||
| Seat | Carmichael | ||
|
|||
Clan Carmichael is a Scottish clan, which is like a big family group with a shared history and traditions. They are also considered a sept (a smaller family group) of other important Scottish clans like Clan Douglas, Clan MacDougall, Stewart of Appin, and Stewart of Galloway. The Carmichaels have a long and interesting history in Scotland!
Contents
History
Where the Clan Name Comes From
The name Carmichael comes from a specific place in Scotland. It's named after an ancient hill fort, or "caer," located near a main road in the southern part of Scotland. Around the year 1058, a good queen named Margaret chose this spot for one of her first churches. She named the church after Saint Michael, and so the area and its people became known as "Caermichel." This is how the family got their name when surnames became common in the 1200s.
The Carmichael family has lived in the area of Carmichael in Lanarkshire for over 900 years. The lands of Carmichael were originally part of the Douglas family's territory. In 1321, Robert the Bruce gave these lands to the Clan Douglas.
Early records mention Carmichaels. For example, Robert de Carmitely gave up his claims to a church in Cleghorn in 1220. Another Robert de Carmichael is mentioned in a document from Dryburgh Abbey in 1226.
Later, between 1374 and 1384, Sir John de Carmichael received the lands of Carmichael from William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. Sir John was a knight who supported the Douglas family in their struggles for power and their raids into England. Getting this large piece of land was a reward for Sir John and the Carmichael men's bravery. In 1414, the Carmichael family's ownership of these lands was officially confirmed. Their territory covered over 14,000 acres!
15th to 16th Centuries
Sir John de Carmichael of Meadowflat was a brave knight. He fought in France with the Scottish army helping the French against an English invasion. At the Battle of Baugé in 1421, Sir John Carmichael bravely fought an English commander. He knocked the commander off his horse and broke his own spear in the process! This English commander was the Duke of Clarence, who was the brother of Henry V of England. Carmichael's victory made the English army lose heart and flee. To remember this brave act, the Carmichaels have a broken spear on their clan crest.
Catherine Carmichael, the daughter of a later Sir John who was captain of Crawford Castle, had a son with James V of Scotland. This son was a half-brother to Mary, Queen of Scots. King James V even built Crawfordjohn Castle so they could meet without being disturbed.
In 1546, Peter Carmichael of Balmedie was involved in the killing of Cardinal Beaton at St Andrews Castle. Carmichael was later imprisoned, sharing his time with the reformer John Knox. He eventually managed to escape.
Sir John Carmichael was known as a very skilled "Borderer," meaning he was good at managing the often wild Scottish borders. He was the chief of Clan Carmichael from 1585 to 1599, when he was sadly murdered. He was a favorite of James VI of Scotland and was knighted at the king's wife's coronation. He also went on an important diplomatic trip to England. Sir John was Captain of the King's Guard, Master of the Stables, and a warden of the west marches. He was killed when he was ambushed after arresting some members of the Clan Armstrong. However, Sir John's brother, Carmichael of Edrom, made sure the murderer was brought to justice.
17th to 18th Centuries
In 1627, Sir James Carmichael was given the title of a Baronet of Nova Scotia. He was later made a Lord in 1647. During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, James Carmichael, the first Lord Carmichael, strongly supported Charles I of England. However, two of his sons chose to support the Parliament. The first Lord's son, Sir Daniel Carmichael, led the Clydesdale Regiment at the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644 and also at the Battle of Philiphaugh in 1645. The other brothers, Sir James Carmichael of Bonnytoun and Captain John Carmichael, were loyal to the king. Sir James fought at the Battle of Dunbar (1650), while Captain John was killed at Marston Moor, where he would have been fighting against his own brothers.
In 1647, Sir James Carmichael became Lord Carmichael. His son later became the Earl of Hyndford in 1701. The third Earl was a strong supporter of the Hanoverian kings and served as an ambassador for George II of Great Britain.
Modern History
The main Carmichael family became connected to the Clan Anstruther when Lady Margaret, daughter of the 2nd Earl, married Sir John Anstruther. When the 6th Earl of Hyndford died in 1817 without children, his lands were inherited by the Anstruther family's descendants. This family then used the name Carmichael-Anstruther. However, the current chief, Richard Carmichael, changed the family name back to Carmichael in 1980. Chief Richard Carmichael has worked very hard to support the Clan Carmichael Society, which has groups all over the world.
Clan Chief
The current chief of Clan Carmichael is Richard Carmichael of Carmichael.
Clan Castles
- Maudslie castle
- Eastend House
- Carmichael house
- Crawford Castle
- Castle Craig Hospital
- Fenton Tower
Cadet Families
Some smaller branches of the Carmichael family, called "cadet families," included those from Meadowflat in Lanarkshire and Balmedie in Fife. In Argyll, some families named MacMichael later became known as 'Carmichaels'. These MacMichaels are connected to the Appin Stewarts.
Clan Tartan
[1] from the Clan Carmichael Website.
See also
