James II (Scotland)
Jacob II ( English James II , also James of the Fiery Face ; * October 16, 1430 in Holyrood Palace , † August 3, 1460 in Roxburgh ) was King of Scotland from 1437 until his death. He was born the second son of James I and his wife Joan Beaufort . He had an older twin brother ( Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay ) who died after a short time.
Reign and struggle for rule
James II was only seven years old when he was crowned King of Scotland in 1437. Government was exercised by others during most of his reign. His father Jacob I was murdered in Perth by a group of nobles led by Walter Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl . The plan to usurp power failed, however. Stewart and his allies were caught and executed by the 4th Clan Cief, Robert de Atholia, and his clan. Various regents then took over the official business.
In order to break the power of the Douglas family (which only succeeded temporarily), the 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother, who was still a child, were executed in Edinburgh Castle against hospitality in 1440 . One story goes that both were served a black bull's head in what was considered a sign of imminent death (Black Dinner) .
Jacob II reached the age of majority in 1449 , but it was not until 1451 that he began to assert himself domestically. On February 22, 1452, he personally murdered William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, at Stirling Castle . The murder resulted in a civil war-like state that lasted until 1455. Jakob tried to take possession of the Douglas lands, but suffered repeated setbacks. Various campaigns ended in a draw. But then Jakob was able to win the support of other nobles and the tide began to turn. In May 1455 the Douglas clan was finally defeated at Arkinholm.
Unrestricted rule
During the following months, the vast estates of Clan Douglas and other nobles were expropriated by the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the Crown. The 9th Earl of Douglas fled into exile in England . Jacob could finally rule at his own will.
From 1455, James II proved to be an active and interventionist king. Attempts to force the Orkneys , Shetland and Isle of Man under Scottish rule were unsuccessful. Scotland's main enemy, England, was weakened by the Wars of the Roses during this period , so the Scottish economy was able to recover during this "respite".
In 1460 he besieged Roxburgh Castle , the last castle held by England after the Scottish Wars of Independence . He died on August 3rd when a cannon exploded near him.
family
On July 3, 1449 he married Maria von Geldern (1433–1463), with whom he had the following children:
- nameless son (* and † May 19, 1450)
- Jacob III (10 July 1451 - 11 June 1488), King of Scotland since 1460
- Mary (around 1451/52; † May 1488), ⚭ (1) 1467 Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran , ⚭ (2) 1474 James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton
- Alexander (around 1454 - 7 August 1485), since 1458 Duke of Albany
- David (* around 1455; † before July 18, 1457), Earl of Moray since 1456
- John (* around 1456/57; † probably July 9, 1479), since 1458/59 Earl of Mar and Garioch
- Margaret (* around 1459/60), ⚭ William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton
See also
Web links
- James II Stewart, King of Scotland, on thepeerage.com , accessed July 26, 2015.
Remarks
- ^ According to Norman Macdougall ( Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , Vol. 37 (2004), p. 67), Jacob III. Born at the end of May 1452
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Jacob I. |
King of Scotland 1437–1460 |
Jacob III |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Jacob II |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | King of Scotland |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 16, 1430 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Holyrood Palace |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 3, 1460 |
| Place of death | at Roxburgh |