James I, King of Scots

James I, King of Scots (July 1394 – 21 February 1437), is the youngest of three sons of King Robert III and Annabella Drummond and was born probably in late July 1394 in Dunfermline Palace.

By the time he was 8–years–old both of his elder brothers were dead—Robert had died in infancy, but David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, had died suspiciously in Falkland Castle while being detained by his uncle, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany.

Although parliament exonerates Albany, fears for James's safety grow during the winter of 1405–6 and plans are made to send him to France.

In February 1406, James and nobles close to his father clash with supporters of Archibald, 4th Earl of Douglas, forcing the prince to take refuge on the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth.

He remains here until mid-March, when he boards a vessel bound for France, but while off the English coast, pirates capture the ship on 22 March and deliver James to Henry IV of England.

A few days later, on 4 April Robert III dies, and the 12–year–old uncrowned King of Scots begins his 18-year detention.

James is given a good education at the English court, where he develops respect for English methods of governance and for Henry V to the extent that he serves in the English army against the French during 1420–1.

Murdoch Stewart, James's cousin and Albany's son, a captive in England since 1402, is traded for Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland in 1416.

Eight more years pass before James is ransomed by which time Murdoch has succeeded his father to the dukedom and the governorship of Scotland.

James marries Joan Beaufort, daughter of the Earl of Somerset in February 1424 shortly before his release in April when they journey to Scotland.

It is not altogether a popular re-entry to Scottish affairs, since James had fought on behalf of Henry V and at times against Scottish forces in France.

Additionally, his £40,000 ransom means increased taxes to cover the repayments and the detention of Scottish nobles as collateral.

Despite this, James also holds qualities that are admired.

The contemporary Scotichronicon by Walter Bower describes James as excelling at sport and appreciative of literature and music.

Unlike his father and grandfather he does not take mistresses, but has many children by his consort, Queen Joan.

The king has a strong desire to impose law and order on his subjects, but applies it selectively at times.

To bolster his authority and secure the position of the crown, James launches pr-emptive attacks on some of his nobles beginning in 1425 with his close relatives the Albany Stewarts that result in the execution of Duke Murdoch.

In 1428, James detains Alexander, Lord of the Isles, while attending a parliament in Inverness.

Archibald, 5th Earl of Douglas, is arrested in 1431, followed by George, Earl of March, in 1434.

The plight of the ransom hostages held in England is ignored and the repayment money is diverted into the construction of Linlithgow Palace and other grandiose schemes.

In August 1436, James fails humiliatingly in his siege of Roxburgh Castle and then faces an ineffective attempt by Sir Robert Graham to arrest him at a general council.

James is murdered at Perth on the night of 20–1 February 1437 in a failed coup by his uncle and former ally Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl.

Queen Joan, although wounded, escapes to the safety of Edinburgh Castle, where she is reunited with her son James II.

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