James I, King of Scotland
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James was born at Dumferline, Fifeshire, Scotland in December 1394. He became heir to the throne at age 8 when his elder brother David, duke of Rothesay was allegedly murdered by his uncle Robert Steward, duke of Albany. In 1406, to protect the young James from his uncle, Robert III, King of Scotland (James's father) decided to send James to France to live. While on his way there, however, he was captured by English sailors and remained a prisoner in England. Meanwhile James father died in April of 1406 and James' uncle , Robert Steward, did become regent. When Robert Steward died in 1420, he was succeeded in office and title by his son Murdac.
It was not till after the death (1422) of the English king Henry V that terms for James's release were agreed upon. In February 2, 1424 at St. Mary, Overy, Southwark, England , he married and in April he returned to Scotland.
James's reign was, throughout, an attempt to reassert royal authority after a long period of weak government. He was in confict with the nobles most of the time. Many were arrested, but most were soon released. Murdac, duke of Albany, however, and other members of his family were executed on obscure charges in May 1425.
He was considered a reforming ruler. He established a treasury, comptroller, justice system and a parliment. He also dealt with the disorder in the highlands. He personally led campaigns in the north arresting many of the rebels and froced them to sue for peace. He also established the first Carthusian monestery in Scotland at Perth in 1429.
His carrer was cut short by his murder on the night of February 20-21, 1437.The most important of the conspirators was Walter, earl of Atholl a desendant of Robert II (James's grandfather) by his second marriage. Walter felt he had a claim to the throne. It didn't work though, James's widow had no problem rounding up the assassins and there was no uprising.
James was a very cultured indivdual, aquiring much of it while in captivity in England and is usually accepted as the author of the long vernacular poem "The Kingis Quair". He is buried at Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.
Siblings
1)David, duke of Rothesay (????-1402)
2)Elizabeth Princess Scotland: Married James Lord Dalkeith Douglas.
Children
1)Margaret Stewart (1425-1445): Married Louis XI, King of France.
2)Alexander Stewart (1430- infancy)
3)James II (1430-1460): James became King of Scots. Born at Holyrood, Edinburgh on October 16, 1430, he succeeded to the throne on his father's murder, but was not of age to direct his own policy until the time ( July 3, 1449) of his marriage to Mary of Gueldres, the niece of Duke Phillip of Burgundy. Until then, the country was ruled by those who could gain control of the young king; most prominent amoung these where the two families of Crichton (See Crichton on this chart)and Livingstone (See Livingstones on this chart), whose rivalry caused much disorder.
Territorially the most powerful family in the kingdom were the Black Douglases (See Douglas on this chart) who held much of southern Scotland. During the disorders of the king's minority, William, 6th Earl of Douglas, had been executed for alleged treason in 1440; but his estates had not been forfeited and the power of the family quickly revived. When James himself took up his father's task of strengthening the authority of the crown, he attacked William, 8th Earl of Douglas, in 1450, but there was a temporary reconciliation. There were, however, renewed disputes, and in 1452 the earl was murdered by James himself, dispite having been granted safe-conduct. The survivors if the family were for a time in rebellion; and after another temporary reconciliation, James, the 9th Earl of Douglas was expelled in 1455 and all his lands were annexed by the crown. The king also annexed in the same year the earldom of Moray which had come by marriage into the hands of Archibald, a brother of the 8th earl of Douglas. This deprived Archibald's wife, Elizabeth Dunbar, and her5 subsequent husbands of the earldom. The Douglases were a grave threat to the power of the crown, but James was high-handed in dealing with them. His son was James III, king of Scots.
4)Joan (janet) Princess of Scotland
5)Sir James Stewart (Jr.) (????-1498 )
6)John Stewart
Spouse
Parents