Editing James I of Scotland (section)

== King in captivity ==
James, now the uncrowned King of Scots, began what proved to be his 18-year period as a hostage while, simultaneously, Albany transitioned from lieutenant to governor.<ref>Boardman, ''Early Stewart Kings'', pp. 278, 312</ref> Albany took James's lands under his control, depriving the king of income and any of the regalia of his position, and James was referred to in records as 'the son of the late king'.<ref name="Brown, p. 18">Brown, ''James I'', p. 18</ref> The king had a small household of Scots that included Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, Alexander Seaton, the nephew of Sir David Fleming, and Orkney's brother John Sinclair, following the earl's return to Scotland. In time, James's household — now paid for by the English — changed from high-ranking individuals to less notable men.<ref name="Brown, p. 18–19" /> Henry IV treated the young James well, providing him with a good education.<ref name="Brown, p. 20" />

[[File:Album amicorum of Michael van Meer 010.jpg|left|400px|thumb|[[Windsor Castle]], where James I was held prisoner. Drawing from the ''Album amicorum'' ("Friendship album") of Michael van Meer. [[Edinburgh University Library]]]]

James was ideally placed to observe Henry's methods of kingship and political control, having probably been admitted into the royal household upon reaching adulthood.<ref name="Brown, p. 20">Brown, ''James I'', p. 20</ref> James used personal visits from his nobles, coupled with letters to individuals, to maintain his visibility in his kingdom.<ref name="Brown, p. 18–19">Brown, ''James I'', p. 18–19</ref> Henry died in 1413 and his son, [[Henry V of England|Henry V]], immediately ended James's comparative freedom by initially holding him in the [[Tower of London]] along with the other Scottish prisoners.<ref name="Brown, p. 20"/> One of these prisoners was James's cousin, Murdoch Stewart, Albany's son, who had been captured in 1402 at the [[Battle of Homildon Hill]]. Initially held apart, from 1413 until Murdoch's release in 1415, they were together in the Tower and at [[Windsor Castle]].<ref name="Brown, p. 18–19"/>

By 1420, James's standing at Henry V of England's court improved greatly; he ceased to be regarded as a hostage and more of a guest.<ref name="Stevenson, p. 170"/> James's value to Henry became apparent in 1420 when he accompanied Henry to France where his presence was used against the Scottish troops fighting alongside the French. Following the English victory at the siege of [[Melun]], a town southeast of [[Paris]], Scottish prisoners of war captured after the siege were hanged for treason against their king.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', p. 23</ref> James attended the coronation of [[Catherine of Valois]] on 23 February 1421 and was honoured by sitting immediately on the left of the queen at the coronation banquet.<ref name="Stevenson, p. 170"/> [[File:For there in the Garden walked fairest lady he had ever seen.jpg|thumb|150px|A modern depiction of Joan Beaufort]] In March, Henry began a circuit of the important towns in England as a show of strength, and during this tour James was knighted on [[Saint George's Day]].<ref name="Stevenson, p. 170"/> By July, the two kings were back campaigning in France where James, evidently approving of Henry's methods of kingship, seemed content to endorse his claims to the French crown.<ref name="Brown M. H., James I, ODNB"/> Henry appointed the Duke of Bedford and James as the joint commanders of the siege of [[Dreux]] on 18 July 1421 and, on 20 August, they received the surrender of the garrison.<ref>Wylie and Waugh, ''Reign of Henry the Fifth'', pp. 326–327</ref> Henry died of dysentery on 31 August 1422 and, in September, James was part of the escort taking Henry's body back to London.<ref name="Brown M. H., James I, ODNB"/>

The [[Regency government, 1422–1437|regency council]] of the infant [[Henry VI of England]] was inclined to have James released as soon as possible. In the early months of 1423, their attempts to resolve the issue met with little response from the Scots, clearly influenced by the Albany Stewarts and adherents.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', p. 26</ref> Archibald, Earl of Douglas was an astute and adaptable power in Southern Scotland whose influence even eclipsed that of the Albany Stewarts. Despite his complicity in James's brother's death in Albany's castle in 1402, Douglas could still engage with the king. From 1421, Douglas had been in regular contact with James and they formed an alliance that was to prove pivotal in 1423. Although Douglas was the pre-eminent Scottish magnate, his position in the borders and Lothians was jeopardised — not only did he have to forcibly retake Edinburgh Castle from his own designated warden, but was very likely under threat from the Earls of Angus and March.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 26–27</ref> In return for James's endorsement of Douglas's position in the kingdom, the earl was able to deliver his affinity in the cause of the king's homecoming. Also, the relationship between Murdoch—now Duke of Albany following his father's death in 1420 — and his own appointee, Bishop [[William de Lauder|William Lauder]], seemed to be under strain, perhaps evidence of an influential grouping at odds with Murdoch's stance.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', p. 27</ref> Pressure from these advocates for the king almost certainly compelled Murdoch to agree to a general council in August 1423, where it was agreed that a mission should be sent to England to negotiate James's release.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 27–28</ref> James's relationship with the [[House of Lancaster]] changed in February 1424 when he married [[Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots|Joan Beaufort]], a cousin of Henry VI and the niece of [[Thomas Beaufort, 1st Duke of Exeter]] and [[Henry Beaufort|Henry, Bishop of Winchester]].<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 24–25</ref> A ransom treaty of £40,000 [[Pound sterling|sterling]] (less a dowry remittance of 10,000 [[Mark (currency)|marks]]) was agreed at [[Durham, England|Durham]] on 28 March 1424, to which James attached his own seal.<ref name="Brown M. H., James I, ODNB"/> The king and queen, escorted by English and Scottish nobles, reached [[Melrose Abbey]] on 5 April and were met by Albany, who relinquished his governor's seal of office.<ref>Fawcett & Oram, ''Melrose Abbey'', p. 50</ref><ref>MacQuarrie, ''Kingship and Nation'', p. 215</ref>