George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness facts for kids

George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness (born around 1409 – died August 1454 or 1455), was an important Scottish nobleman. He held many key positions in Scotland during his life.

George Crichton took over from his father as the sheriff of Linlithgowshire. He was made a knight before 1438. In 1441, he traveled as an ambassador to Brittany. His mission was to arrange a marriage for King James II's sister, Isabella. Later, George Crichton also served as the Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was also the sheriff of Stirling and the Keeper of Stirling Castle.

George Crichton's Life and Career

Building His Estates

George Crichton was the older son of Stephen Crichton of Cairns, who passed away in 1434. George worked to create a large estate for himself. Most of his lands were in south-west Scotland and the Lothian area. He was sometimes called "of Blackness" because Blackness Castle in Linlithgowshire became his main home. He was also known as "of Cairns."

His Marriages and Family

Around 1425, George Crichton married his first wife. She was the daughter of Sir William Douglas of Strathbrock. They had one son named James. Later, around 1450, George married his second wife, Janet. She was the daughter of Sir William Borthwick. Janet had been married before to Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith and also to Sir Colin Campbell. In 1454, George and Janet's daughter, also named Janet, married Robert Maxwell, 2nd Lord Maxwell.

Important Roles and Titles

George Crichton became the sheriff of Linlithgowshire after his father. He was knighted before 1438. In 1441, he was sent as an ambassador to Brittany. His job was to negotiate the marriage of King James II's sister, Isabella. He was also appointed as the Lord High Admiral of Scotland in 1448. This was a very important role in charge of Scotland's navy.

Keeper of Stirling Castle

After some political changes, George Crichton was made the sheriff of Stirling. He also became the Keeper of Stirling Castle. By the end of 1452, he was also a Justiciar for the area south of the Forth River. This meant he was a chief judge.

Becoming Earl of Caithness

In June 1452, George Crichton was given the title of Earl of Caithness. This made him a very high-ranking nobleman. However, he then tried to arrange his property so his son, James Crichton, would not inherit his lands and title. In response, James put his father in prison at Blackness Castle. But the King quickly rescued George Crichton. They eventually reached an agreement. James would inherit the family's original estate of Cairns. He also received some land in Perthshire from the Scottish crown. The rest of George Crichton's property and his Earldom would go back to the crown when he died. George Crichton passed away in August 1454.

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