William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton facts for kids
William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton (died 1454) was a very important person in the government of Scotland a long time ago, during the late Middle Ages. He played a big part in Scottish politics and helped shape the country's future.
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Early Life and Royal Service
William Crichton was the son of Sir John Crichton. We first hear about him when he was one of the Scottish nobles who traveled to England to meet King James I. This happened after King James was finally freed from being held captive.
On May 21, 1424, William Crichton was one of eighteen gentlemen who were made knights at King James's coronation ceremony. Later, he became a special helper to the King, known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber.
In 1426, Sir William Crichton, who was also a royal official, was sent with other important people to Norway. Their job was to talk with King Eric III of Norway and make sure the peace between Scotland and Norway continued. When he came back, he was put in charge of Edinburgh Castle. He also became the Master of the Royal Household and, by 1435, the Sheriff of Edinburgh.
Power and Influence
By 1437, William Crichton was in charge of Edinburgh Castle and also looked after the young King James II, who was only six years old at the time. By 1439, Crichton had become the most important government official in Scotland, known as the Lord Chancellor.
While King James II was still too young to rule, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas, was the Regent (the person ruling for the King). After the Earl of Douglas passed away in 1440, Crichton and Sir Alexander Livingston invited the 16-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his brother to dinner at Edinburgh Castle. Sadly, they lost their lives during this event, even though the young King James II asked for them to be spared. This sad and shocking event is known as the ‘Black Dinner’.
Finding a Queen for Scotland
In 1448, Crichton was sent to Europe with other important people from Scotland. Their main goals were to make sure the old friendship between Scotland and France (called the Auld Alliance) was still strong, and to find a queen for King James II, who was not yet married.
Crichton and his group traveled to the Duchy of Burgundy. There, they talked with Duke Philip the Good to find a good match for the King. They chose Mary of Guelders, who was the daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders, and Duke Philip's niece. Crichton then brought the future Queen back to Scotland. They arrived in Leith on June 18, 1449.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1449, William Crichton started a special church on his land at Crichton.
In 1450, he lent a lot of money to King James II. He also spent his money on Crichton Castle, making it much bigger and turning it into a very impressive castle with a courtyard.
William, 1st Lord Crichton, passed away before July 1454.
Family Life
Lord Crichton and his wife, Agnes, had three children:
- Sir James Crichton of Frendraught, who became the 2nd Lord Crichton after his father.
- Elizabeth Crichton, who married Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly.
- Agnes Crichton, who married Alexander Lyon, 2nd Lord Glamis.
William Crichton in Stories
William Crichton appears as a character in several historical novels:
- He is shown as the bad guy in Black Douglas, a novel written by Nigel Tranter in 1968.
- He also appears throughout The Lion's Whelp, another novel by Nigel Tranter, published in 1997.
- Crichton also has a role in the 1899 novel Black Douglas by Samuel Rutherford Crockett.
