Margaret Crichton (abt. 1480 - abt. 1545)

Born about 1480 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1545 at about age 65 in Burton, Yorkshire, England [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kari Undbekken [send private message]

Biography

Margaret Crichton is a member of Clan Crichton.

Margaret Crichton was the illegitimate daughter of William Crichton, 3rd lord Crichton, and Margaret Stewart, sister to king James III.^[1] Crichton was married to Marion Livingston. She had been seduced by James III and became his mistress. Crichton, in revenge, seduced Margaret, getting her pregnant.^[2] He chose Margaret as she had a particularly close relationship to James likely incestuous. Buchanan, in his History of Scotland,^[3] certainly suggesting a more than sisterly relationship with King James; "Forma egregia et consuetudine fratris infamem,". It definitely destroyed the relationships between the two families and tore at the fabric of Scottish politics of the day. Her birth likely occurring close to 1480.

She appears, in the Treasurers Accounts of 1496, as Lady Margaret's daughter.

First Marriage - William Todrik

She was married, first, to William Todrik, burgess of Edinburgh. This marriage must have been prior to 8 February 1505, when Todrik received from the King under the Great Seal a grant of certain exemptions from customs in respect of his marriage; "cum consanguinea nostra Margreta Creichtoun". Todrik must have died before 27 July 1507.

Second Marriage - George Halkerston

She was married, secondly, to George Halkerstoun also a burgess of Edinburgh. This marriage must have taken place prior to 4 July 1510, when she and her husband obtained a similar grant, to them and to the survivor, of exemption from customs to the amount of 100 merks yearly import and export. Halkerstoun, who became one of the custumars of Edinburgh, seems to have been killed at Flodden, and his widow succeeded him in that office. By George Halkerston she had a son James, who was conjoined with her in a lawsuit in 1538.

Third Marriage - George Leslie, Earl of Rothes

Margaret Crichton's third husband was George Leslie, Earl of Rothes. This marriage must have taken place prior to 1 April 1517 when a new charter of the Rothes estates passed the Great Seal in favour of "Georgio Lesley Comiti de Rothes dom. Lesly et Margarete Creichtoun ejus sponse affidate per verba de futuro cum carnali copula inde secuta".

This marriage was dissolved on 27 December 1520 and Lord Rothes married successively Elizabeth Gray, the widowed Countess of Huntly and Agnes Somerville, relict of John, Lord Fleming.

Margaret Crichton does not seem to have acquiesced in the judgement, and may have ultimately been successful in getting it set aside, and in reasserting her position as Countess of Rothes, prior to 31 May 1542, when as Margaret Creychtoun Comitissa de Rothes she obtained a charter of the lands of Drumcroce.

She seems to have died prior to 1546, when Lord Rothes appears as the husband of "dame Margret (properly Isabel) Lundy, relict of umquhile David, Erle of Craufurde".

By Lord Rothes Margaret Crichton had issue at least one child, Norman Leslie, known as the Master of Rothes.

Sources

1. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1906, Vol. III, Archive.org, p. 66
2. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1906, Vol. III, Archive.org, p. 64
3. ↑ History of Scotland; Buchanan; XII, 51

See also:

• The Peerage: Margaret Crichton

• Wikidata: Item Q75389878