Sir John Carmichael

Sir John Carmichael (died 16 June 1600) was the Keeper of Liddesdale, and owner of Fenton Tower at Kingston, East Lothian.

He was the son of John Carmichael and Elizabeth Somerville, a daughter of Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville.

He was appointed warden of the Scottish West March, and was to make truce with the English Warden. He fought in the Raid of the Redeswire, decisively beating the English and also captured Sir John Forster, the English Warden and commander, who was an outlaw at the time.

Carmichael sailed to Denmark with James VI of Scotland and returned in April 1590 with instructions for the welcoming party at Leith for Anne of Denmark. He was sent as ambassador to England in June 1590, and was instructed to tell Elizabeth about the journey of James VI to marry Anne of Denmark.

He was murdered by members of Clan Armstrong on 16 June 1600 who ambushed him as he rode to Langholm to attend a warden court.

After the murder, James VI told the English diplomat in Edinburgh that Carmichael had been a "better Englishman than a Scotsman," meaning that he had shown partiality to England on the border. Alexander Armstrong was executed for the murder at Dumfries in April 1605 after being held a prisoner in Carlisle Castle.

Family
Carmichael married Margaret Douglas, a daughter of George Douglas of Pittendreich and sister to Regent Morton.

Their children included;
 * Hugh Carmichael of that Ilk, who was Master of Horse to James VI in 1593 and ambassador to Denmark, and married Sybilla Baillie. Their son John Carmichael was the last of this line, and the Carmichael estates went to a distant cousin James Carmichael, who had impressed James VI and I with his skill at court in a jumping competition.
 * Maria Carmichael (died 9 May 1626), who married John Bothwell, Lord Holyroodhouse.
 * Abigail Carmichael, who married Hugh Weir of Clowburn, Lanarkshire.
 * Anne Carmichael, who married Walter Whitford, Bishop of Brechin.
 * Elizabeth Carmichael.
 * James Carmichael.