April 4th, 1406
King Robert III, the second of the Stewart kings, was the eldest son of King Robert II (1316-90), and grand-son of Robert the Bruce (1274 - 1329). Robert II, king of Scotland (1371–90), nephew and successor of David II.
In 1399, however, owing to the kings sickness of the body, his elder son, David, Duke of Rothesay, gained appointment as lieutenant of the kingdom; but there followed an English invasion of Scotland, serious differences between Rothesay and his uncle, Robert, now Duke of Albany, and finally in March 1402 Rothesays mysterious death by starvation at Falkland Palace.
Fearing for the safety of his surviving son, James, the king had the boy hidden at Dirleton Castle, with a view to smuggling him from there to France. However, a month later, in 1406, Englishmen captured the young James en route, whereupon King Robert died, probably at Rothesay. The king allegedly died from grief over the capture of James. Robert even asked to be buried under a dunghill with the epitaph: Here lies the worst of Kings and the most miserable of men. Instead he was interred at Paisley instead of Scone, the traditional burial ground of the Scottish kings, as he did not consider himself worthy of the honor.
James I (December 10, 1394 – February 21, 1437) reigned as king of Scotland from April 04, 1406 until February 21, 1437. However, from 1406 to 1424 he was king in name only. On the voyage to France, the English captured the young prince and handed him over to Henry IV of England, who imprisoned him and demanded a ransom. Robert III allegedly died from grief over the capture of James. Jamess uncle, Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany, who became Regent on the death of Robert III, showed no haste in paying for his nephews release. Albany secured the release of his own son Murdoch, captured at the same time, but not so with James. So for the next 18 years James remained a prisoner-hostage in England. Henry IV had the young Scots King imprisoned and educated in Windsor Castle and in secure large country houses near London.
