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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] James IV Biography JAMES IV (1473-1513). King of Scotland from 1488 to 1513. The son of James III and Margaret of Denmark, he was born March 17, 1473. He was made the nominal leader of the rebel army by which his father was slain, and although but a youth at his accession he took from the first an active part in public affairs and aided personally in suppressing the rebellion headed by the Earl of Lennox. He won great popularity by his interest in the common people, and throughout his reign he labored to develop commerce and to build up a navy. In 1503 he married Margaret, daughter of Henry VII of England, and made a treaty with his father-in-law which secured peace between the two countries for a few years. Meantime James was passing laws for the better administration oî criminal justice, for the annual election of magistrates, for confirming the privileges of the burghs, for the discouragement of beggars, and for the daily session of the council at Edinburgh. This city was now becoming the capital of the Kingdom. Not only is his reign important in the history of Scottish law, but he showed skillful diplomacy in securing friendly relations with the continental powers. From the accession of Henry VIII, however, trouble again arose between England and Scotland. In 1513 the English Parliament declared war against both Scotland and France. The Scottish King, who had long been making preparations, marched with a large, well-equipped army to meet Surrey, the English commander, at Flodden. It was a "black day" for Scotland; she lost perhaps 10,000 men, a great number of nobles, and her King, who fell fighting in the ranks (Sept. 9, 1513). Though great in the history of Scottish civilization, he was an incompetent general; and the defeat was due chiefly to him. Not till after her union with England did his country recover from the loss. His fickle wavering between France and England also caused Scotland much trouble. James V, his only legitimate child, succeeded him. Consult: Treasurer's Accounts, Exchequer Rolls, and Acts of Parliament of his reign; Teulet, Papiers d'état, pièces et documents inédits ou peu eonnus, relatifs à l'histoire de l'Ecosse au XVIème siècle, tirés des bibliothèques et des archives de France (Paris, 1851-60); J. H. Burton, History of Scotland (8 vols., London, 1873) ; Brown, History of Scotland, vol. i (Cambridge, 1899); Andrew Lang, History of Scotland from the Roman Occupation (4 vols., New York, 1900-07). The New International Encyclopaedia Vol. XII (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 548-549. |