James STEWART, II KING

                   	1  NAME James /Stuart/ II


"Born at Holyrood on 16 October 1430, James II was only six years oldwhen his father was murdered at Perth.

James II was crowned in Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh in 1437, the first kingnot to be enthroned at Scone since Kenneth MacAlpin (843-58). James'minority was dominated by the struggles of rival families for power inthe realm and control of the king.

Known as 'James of the Fiery Face' because of a birthmark, he began torule for himself when he was 18, soon after his marriage in July 1449 toMary of Gueldres, a devout and cultivated Burgundian lady.

Throughout most of his reign, the powerful Douglas family posed a threatto his throne. When he was ten, his advisers had the young 6th Earl ofDouglas and his brother murdered at 'The Black Dinner' in 1440 atEdinburgh Castle.

In 1452 James himself stabbed the 8th Earl to death during a violentquarrel in Stirling Castle, and later defeated the Douglases atArkinholm. Three years later, the 9th Earl and his relatives wereforfeited for treason and in 1458 his Parliament congratulated James onsuppressing dangerous law-breakers.

The threat from his overmighty subjects finally removed, in August 1460James felt secure enough to take advantage of English divisions caused bythe Wars of Roses and besiege Roxburgh Castle (held by the English formore than a century).

Disaster followed, for as he stood next to one of his cannon it exploded,killing him instantly at the age of 29. He was buried in the Abbey ofHolyrood, Edinburgh."

-- Royal Household

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