William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton of Sanquhar (died 1450s) was an important political figure in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

.

He held various positions within the court of James I

James I of Scotland

James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...

. At the death of James I, William Crichton was Sheriff of Edinburgh, Keeper of Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

, and Master of the King’s household. In 1439 he became Chancellor of Scotland.

In 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 minority, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas

Archibald Douglas was a Scottish nobleman and General, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter of Robert III...

 was Regent. At his death William Crichton and Sir Alexander Livingston fought to overthrow the power of the Black Douglas family. In 1440 they invited the 16-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas

William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas

William Douglas was a short-lived Scottish Nobleman. He was Earl of Douglas and Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell, Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and Annandale in Scotland, and de jure Duke of Touraine, Count of Longueville, and Sire of Dun-le-roi in France...

 and his brother to dinner in Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

, and killed them. This incident has become known as the ‘Black Dinner’.

In 1450 he made a considerable loan to James II. He also invested his wealth in Crichton Castle

Crichton Castle

Crichton Castle is a ruined castle situated at the head of the River Tyne, near the village of Crichton, Midlothian, Scotland. The castle lies two miles south of the village of Pathhead, and the same distance east of Gorebridge, at . A mile to the south-west is Borthwick Castle.-History:In the late...

, adding to it and transforming it into an impressive courtyard castle.

Crichton in fiction

He is the villain of the story in Black Douglas, a novel by Nigel Tranter

Nigel Tranter

Nigel Tranter OBE was a Scottish historian and author.-Early life:Nigel Tranter was born in Glasgow and educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh. He trained as an accountant and worked in Scottish National Insurance Company, founded by his uncle. In 1933 he married May Jean Campbell Grieve...

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External links

• article which mentions him