James II of Scotland

James II was King of Scots from 1437 until 1460. His reign strengthened royal authority and ended when a cannon exploded during the siege of Roxburgh Castle.

Roxburgh Castle: A Scottish border fortress besieged by James II in 1460. James died there when a cannon exploded during the siege.
James I of Scotland: King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. James II inherited the crown after his father’s murder.
Mary of Guelders: A duchess of Guelders who became queen consort of Scotland through her marriage to James II. After James’s death, she acted as regent for their young son.
Black Dinner: The 1440 execution of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his brother at Edinburgh Castle. The earlier massacre established a precedent for violent royal dealings with the Douglas family.
Scottish monarchy: The institution of kingship in Scotland from the early medieval period through the union of 1707. James’s campaigns and laws strengthened the crown within this institution.
Scottish Parliament: The legislative assembly of the Kingdom of Scotland, active from the thirteenth century until 1707. James used parliamentary authority to secure measures against powerful nobles.
Joan Beaufort: Queen of Scots as the wife of James I and mother of James II. She protected her young son after James I was assassinated.
James III of Scotland: King of Scots from 1460 until 1488 and son of James II. He succeeded his father as a child after the siege of Roxburgh.
Stirling Castle: A Scottish royal fortress overlooking a major crossing of the River Forth. James killed the 8th Earl of Douglas at Stirling Castle in 1452.
Royal artillery: Artillery maintained and deployed by a monarch’s government or military forces. James’s use of guns at Roxburgh shows the crown investing in siege weapons.

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History of golfRelated: His 1457 prohibition is among the earliest documented references to golf.