James Crichton, Viscount Frendraught (died c. 1664/65) was a Scottish peer.

Life

He was the eldest son of

James Crichton of Frendraught James Crichton of Frendraught or Frendraucht was a Scottish landowner involved in a fire on 18 October 1630. Eight guests were killed at Frendraught Castle and arson was suspected. The facts of the case were widely disputed. Family backgroun ...

, by Elizabeth, 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 and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of Clan Sutherland. The origin ...

. 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 and g ...

. His father was of very turbulent disposition, and in October 1630 several friends whom he had urged 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 The ori ...

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 s ...

, who repeatedly plundered Frendraught. The son James Crichton was created baron of Frendraught in 1641 and Viscount Frendraught in 1642. He took part in Montrose's last expedition, 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 Marq ...

(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. 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, and was succeeded by his son by his second marriage, also named James. James, 2nd Viscount Frendraught, was a Jacobite who, during the first Jacobite rising of 1689–91, signed a Band of Association at

Tomintoul Tomintoul (; from gd, Tom an t-Sabhail, meaning "Hillock of the Barn") is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland in the historic county of Banffshire. Within Cairngorms National Park, the village lies close to the banks of the River ...

on 15 January 1690, organised by John Grant of

Ballindalloch Ballindalloch ( gd, Baile na Dalach) is a small village on the River Spey in Scotland. It is known for its whisky distilleries and for Ballindalloch Castle. In Ballindalloch itself, there are two distilleries, Cragganmore distillery and Ballin ...

, supporting James VII and II. The 2nd Viscount died before 1 August 1699.

References

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