James Crichton, 1st Viscount Frendraught (born died 1663) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

peer.

Life

He was the eldest son of

James Crichton of Frendraught James Crichton of Frendraught or Frendraucht (1599-1667) was a Scottish landowner and survivor of the Fire of Frendraught in October 1630. Several of his guests were killed at Frendraught Castle and arson was suspected, though the facts of the ca ...

, by Elizabeth Gordon, eldest daughter of John Gordon, 13th

Earl of Sutherland Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is al ...

. He was descended from

William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton (died 1454) was an important political figure in the late medieval Kingdom of Scotland. Life The son of Sir John Crichton of Crichton, William Crichton is first attested to as one of the Scots noblemen an ...

. His father was of very turbulent disposition, and in October 1630 several friends whom he had invited to stay in the tower at

Frendraught Castle Frendraught CastleCoventry, Martin (1997) ''The Castles of Scotland''. Goblinshead. p. 184 or House is a 17th-century house, about east of Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and west of Largue, on the site of a 13th-century castle. History Ki ...

to protect him from the threatened assault of his enemies were burnt to death there under circumstances that threw suspicion on himself. His chief enemies were the Gordons of

Rothiemay Milltown of Rothiemay (Scottish Gaelic: ''Ràth a' Mhuigh'') is a small inland village, built mostly of granite, in the north-east of Scotland and is within the Moray council area bordering neighbouring Aberdeenshire across the river to the so ...

, who repeatedly plundered Frendraught. The son, James Crichton, was created Baron of Frendraught in 1641 and Viscount Frendraught in 1642. He married firstly Margaret Leslie, and secondly Marion Irvine. He took part in the last expedition of

James Graham, Marquis of Montrose James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet, soldier and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subseq ...

, and was present at the

Battle of Carbisdale The Battle of Carbisdale (also known as Invercarron) took place close to the village of Culrain, Sutherland, Scotland on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought by the Royalist leader James Graham, 1st Marque ...

(1650). In the rout Montrose's horse was disabled, and Frendraught gave him his own, which enabled him to make good his escape for a time. Some sources state that Frendraught died some time between 14 July 1664 and 17 August 1665''Douglas's Peerage of Scotland'', i. 611 by his own hand on the field of battle. Others state that Frendraught died in the autumn of 1663 after having failed to secure aid from King Charles II. He was succeeded by his son by his second marriage, also named James.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Frendraught, James Crichton, 1st Viscount 1660s deaths Year of birth unknown Nobility from Aberdeenshire Viscounts in the Peerage of Scotland Peers of Scotland created by Charles I