| Motto: |
Tout
Jour Prest (Always Ready) |
| Lands: |
Lanarkshire |
| Origin
of Name: |
Location
- Lanarkshire |
History
The name Carmichael is rooted in the soil of Scotland's Southern
Uplands, deriving from lands in Lanarkshire granted to Sir James
Douglas in 1321. Sir John
de Carmichael received the charter of these lands from William
Earl of Douglas (sir James Nephew) towards the end of the 14th
C as a reward for support of Douglas claim to throne of Scotland.
In 1441 a barony was confirmed covering 14,000 acres.
One of the clan's most heroic figures is undoubtedly Sir John
de Carmichael of Meadowflat. Sir John was part of a Scottish army
who fought alongside the French against Henry V of England. At
the battle of Beauge in 1421 Sir John came face to face in combat
with Duke of Clarence, Henry V's Brother commanding English Army.
Sir John broke his spear unseating Clarence from his horse which
resulted in the demoralised English army fleeing the field. This
act is commemorated by the broken lance on the clan crest.
Sir John's daughter Catherine was a mistress of James V, He built
the Castle of Crawfordjohn as a secret meeting place. The affair
produced an illegitimate son who was half brother to the ill fated
Mary Queen of Scots.
By way of a contrast to Mary's well known catholicism, another
notable Carmichael; Peter Carmichael of Balmedie was implicated
in the murder of Cardinal Beaton alongside John
Knox - for his part in the murder he was sentenced to work
on the galleys alongside Knox himself. ... (excerpt)
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