While the young King James grew into manhood in English captivity, his self-serving, ambitious uncle, Robert, Duke of Albany, was appointed Regent and Governor of Scotland in his absence and was in no hurry in securing his nephews release. Eventually after eighteen long years of captivity, King James I was finally released by the English for a ransom of £40,000. King James, aged thirty upon returning to Scotland, was now a thick set man, athletic, musical and cultured. Faced the task of restoring law and order to a country rent with dissension, but James was to prove himself equal to the task ahead. He promptly confiscated the estates of the Albany Stewarts and Murdoch Stewart and his two sons were executed. King James now turned his attention to the Highlands and he summoned the Highland chiefs to a parliament at Inverness. They were all thrown into a dungeon pit and three of them were executed. In 1426 James founded a new court, called the Session, which was responsible for hearing cases which were formerly brought before the King or Parliament. James concern that all his subjects should receive justice and even the poor should an advocate to represent them even if they did not have the means to pay for their own defence, an innovation at the time. He made Scots coinage exchangeable for foreign currency only within Scottish borders, encouraging trade. James I caused much resentment in Scotland by his re-establishment of a strict, but just, system of government. At Christmas 1436, which the King and Queen spent at the Dominican priory at Perth, a conspiracy was hatched to murder the King. On the fateful night of 20th February, 1437, Sir Robert Stewart dismissed the Kings guards and allowed the party of assassins, led by Sir Robert Graham, to enter. Sir Robert Graham joined in the melee that followed and James was finally murdered, receiving 16 stab wounds to his body. The conspirators found little support amongst the Scottish people. James was sincerely mourned by his subjects, itself a testament to what he had accomplished. James I is considered one of the greatest of Scotlands Kings. His six year old son, James II, succeeded him.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 20:59:09 +0000