Clan Carmichael
| Clan Carmichael | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| MacIlleMhicheil | |||
Crest: A dexter hand and arm in pale armed and holding a broken spear Proper
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| Motto | Tout Jour Prest ("Always Ready") | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | South Lanarkshire | ||
| Chief | |||
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| Richard Carmichael of Carmichael | |||
| 30th Chief of the Name and Arms of Carmichael | |||
| Seat | Carmichael | ||
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Clan Carmichael is a Scottish clan and is also considered a sept of the Clan Douglas, Clan MacDougall, Stewart of Appin, and Stewart of Galloway.
The Carmichaels have been settled in the upper ward of the same name in Lanarkshire for almost eight hundred years and it is from this place that they take their name. The lands of Carmichael were originally part of the Dougsdale territory that was granted to the Clan Douglas in 1321 by Robert the Bruce.
In 1220 Robert de Carmitely resigned his claims to the patronage of the church of Cleghorn. In 1226 Robert de Carmichael is mentioned in a charter of Dryburgh Abbey.
Other Carmichaels are later mentioned in the charters of the Douglas family until, between 1374 and 1384 when Sir John de Carmichael received a charter for the lands of Carmichael from William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. Sir John was amongst the knights who supported the Douglases in their struggle for power in Scotland and in their raids across the English border. The grant of this large piece of Douglas land was undoubtedly a reward for the prowess of Sir John and the Carmichael men.
In 1414 the barony of Carmichael was confirmed to the chief of the clan and it extended to over fourteen thousand acres in the parishes of Carmichael, Pettinain and Carluke.
Sir John de Carmichael of Meadowflat (later of Carmichael) fought in France with the Scottish army that was sent to aid the French against an English invasion. The Battle of Baugé was fought in 1424 where Sir John Carmichael rode in combat against an English commander, unhorsed him and broke his own spear in the action. The English commander was the Duke of Clarence who was a Knight of the Garter and brother of Henry V of England. Carmichael's victory demoralized the English to the extent that they fled the field and to commemorate this, the Carmichaels bear a broken spear on their clan crest.
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Wikipedia