James IV of Scotland Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
James IV (March 17, 1473 - September 9, 1513) was king of Scotland from 1488 to 1513.
The son of King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark, he was probably born in Stirling Castle. When his father was killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn on June 11, 1488 (Or possibly assassinated a few hours later), the fifteen-year-old James took the throne and was crowned at Scone on June 24. The rebels who had gathered at Sauchieburn had done so with James supposedly as their figurehead. When James realised the indirect role which he had played in the death of his father, he decided to do penance for his sin. From that date on he wore a heavy iron chain round his waist next to the skin as a constant reminder.
James IV quickly proved to be an effective ruler. He defeated another rebellion in 1489, took a direct interest in the administration of justice and finally brought the Lord of the Isles under control in 1493. James was well educated and it was claimed that he was fluent in Scots, English, Gaelic, Latin, French, German, Italian, Flemish, Spanish and Danish. He was a true Renaissance prince with an interest in practical and scientific matters. James granted the Edinburgh College of Surgeons a royal charter in 1506, turned Edinburgh Castle into one of Britain's foremost gun foundries and welcomed the establishment of Scotland's first printing press in 1507.
James also loved ships and saw the importance in Scotland having a large navy. He acquired thirty-eight ships for his fleet and founded two new dockyards. His finest creation was the Great Michael. Launched in 1510 it weighed 1,000 tons, was 200 feet in length and was then the largest ship in Europe.
Having fought off the aggression of King Henry VII of England, he recognized that peace between Scotland and England was in the interest of both countries, and so attempted to maintain peace with his neighbour by agreeing a treaty of "perpetual peace" in 1502 and marrying Henry's daughter Margaret Tudor, on August 8, 1503, at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh. The couple's first three children all died in infancy.
When war broke out between England and France, James found himself in a difficult position. The new king of England, Henry VIII, attempted to invade France in 1513, and James reacted by declaring war on England. Hoping to take advantage of Henry's absence, he led an invading army southward, only to be killed, with many of his nobles, at the disastrous Battle of Flodden Field on September 9. A body thought to be his was recovered from the battlefield and taken to London for burial. As he was excommunicated, the embalmed body lay unburied for many years in the monastery of Sheen in Surrey, and was lost after the Reformation.
Rumors persisted that he had survived and had gone into exile, but there is no evidence to support them.
James also had seven illegitimate children by four different mistresses: Two died in infancy, and a third, Alexander Stuart, died at the Battle of Flodden.
| Preceded by: James III | King of Scots | Succeeded by: James V |
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