James I of Scotland - Prince and Steward of Scotland

Prince and Steward of Scotland

James was born in Dunfermline probably in late July 1394, 27 years after the marriage of his parents Robert III and Annabella Drummond. It was at Dunfermline and also Scone that James would have spent most of his early childhood in his mother's household. The prince was seven years old when his mother died in 1401 and a year later his elder brother David, Duke of Rothesay was probably murdered by their uncle Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany after being held at Albany's Falkland Castle. Prince James, now heir to the throne, was the only impediment to the transfer of the royal line to the Albany Stewarts. In 1402 Albany and his close ally Archibald, Earl of Douglas were absolved of any involvement in Rothesay's death and Albany was once again appointed king's lieutenant. Albany rewarded Douglas for his support by allowing him to resume hostilities in England. The Albany and Douglas affinity received a serious reversal in September 1402 when their large army was defeated by the English at Homildon and numerous prominent nobles and their followers were captured. These included Douglas himself, Albany's son Murdoch, and the earls of Moray, Angus and Orkney (Orkney was quickly ransomed). That same year, as well as the death of Rothesay, Alexander Leslie, Earl of Ross and Malcolm Drummond, lord of Mar had also died. These events created a serious political void in both the north and south of the country. In the years between 1402 and 1406 Albany's considerable interests in the north were endangered forcing the duke into a reluctant alliance with his brother Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Buchan's son, also Alexander. Douglas's absence from his power base in the Lothians and the Scottish marches encouraged Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and Sir David Fleming of Biggar, both firm supporters of Robert III, to take full advantage to become the principal political force in the area.

In December 1404 the king granted the royal Stewart lands in the west, in Ayrshire and around the Firth of Clyde, to James in regality protecting them from outside interference and providing the prince with a territorial base should the need arise. Despite this, in 1405 James was under the protection and tutelage of Bishop Henry Wardlaw of St Andrews on the country's east coast. Black Douglas resentment was developing because of the activities of Orkney and Fleming, the prince's advisers, who were expanding their involvement in border politics and foreign relations with England. A decision to send the young prince to France and out of Albany's reach was taken in the winter of 1405–6 yet James's departure from Scotland was unplanned. In February 1406 Bishop Wardlaw released James to Orkney and Fleming who, with their large mounted force, proceeded from St Andrews through Fife and ultimately into hostile Douglas east Lothian. James's custodians may have been giving a demonstration of royal approval to further their influence in Douglas country. This provoked a fierce response from James Douglas of Balvenie who overtook and killed Fleming while Orkney and James escaped to the comparative safety of the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. They remained on the rock for more than a month before boarding the France bound Maryenknyght, a ship from Danzig. On 22 March 1406 the ship was taken by English pirates off Flamborough Head and James became the hostage of King Henry IV of England. Robert III was at Rothesay Castle when he learned of his son's capture and died soon after on 4 April 1406 and was buried in the Stewart foundation abbey of Paisley.