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James III of Scotland

Type Figure Region Scotland Time 1452–1488 Also known as James III

King of Scotland (1460–1488), he ascended at age eight after his father's cannon accident, faced sharp conflicts with the nobility, and was killed af…

Timeline

  1. 1452–1460St Andrews · Eastern ScotlandJames III was born on 10 July 1452 at St Andrews, eldest son of James II and Mary of Guelders. He grew up under royal protection, and in 1460 his father died in a cannon burst during the siege of Roxburgh; the eight-year-old James was immediately acclaimed King of Scotland.
  2. 1460–1469Edinburgh · ScotlandAfter James III acceded in August 1460, government was initially handled by his mother Mary of Guelders and several nobles as regents. Mary of Guelders personally led troops during the siege of Roxburgh, and the castle fell within days of James II's death, stabilizing the new reign. In 1469 James III married the Danish princess Margaret, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands came to Scotland as her dowry, the most important territorial gain of his reign.
  3. 1469–1488Edinburgh · ScotlandAfter taking personal rule James III was known for favoring commoner courtiers, provoking noble discontent. In 1482 a group of nobles staged the Lauder Bridge coup, briefly detaining the king; in his later years conflict with his eldest son (the future James IV) escalated into open civil war. After the Battle of Sauchieburn on 11 June 1488, James III was assassinated while fleeing, ending this long and controversial reign.

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