Editing James I of Scotland (section)

=== Foreign policy ===
James's release in 1424 did not herald a new phase relationship in Anglo-Scottish relations. Contrary to the English council's hopes, the king emerged as a confident and independently-minded European monarch.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 109–111</ref> The only substantive matters of contention between the two kingdoms were the payments due under the terms of James's release and the renewal of the truce that would expire in 1430. In 1428 after setbacks on the battlefield [[Charles VII of France]] sent his ambassador [[Regnault de Chartres]], [[Archbishop of Rheims]] to Scotland to persuade James to renew the [[Auld Alliance]] — the terms were to include the marriage of the princess [[Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France|Margaret]] to Louis, the [[dauphin of France]], and a gift of the province of [[County of Saintonge|Saintonge]] to James.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 109–110</ref> The ratification of the treaty by Charles took place in October 1428 and James, now with the intended marriage of his daughter into the French royal family and the possession of French lands, had his political importance in Europe boosted.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 110–111</ref>

[[File:Roxburgh Castle engraving by William Miller after W Brown.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Roxburgh Castle]], which James failed to win back from the English]]

The effectiveness of the alliance with France had virtually ceased after Verneuil and its renewal in 1428 did not alter that — James adopted a much more non-aligned position with England, France and Burgundy while at the same time opening up diplomatic contacts with [[Aragon]], [[Austria]], [[Castile and León|Castile]], [[Denmark]], [[Milan]], [[kingdom of Naples|Naples]] and the [[Vatican City|Vatican]].<ref>Grant, ''Independence and Nationhood'', p.48</ref>

Generally, Anglo-Scottish relations were relatively amicable and the truce, extended until 1436, helped the English position in France. Promises made in 1428 of a Scottish army to help [[Charles VII of France|Charles VII]] and the marriage of James's eldest daughter to the French king's son [[Louis XI|Louis]] were unrealised. James had to balance his European responses carefully, because England's key ally, the Duke of Burgundy, was in possession of the [[Low Countries]], a major trading partner of Scotland causing James's support for France to be muted.<ref>Grant, ''Independence and Nationhood'', p. 49</ref> The truce with England expired in May 1436, but James's perception of the Anglo-French conflict changed following a realignment of the combatants. The breakdown of the talks between England and France in 1435 precipitated an alliance between Burgundy and France, a request from France for Scottish involvement in the war, and for the fulfilment of the promised marriage of Princess Margaret to the [[Dauphin of France|Dauphin]].<ref>Brown,''James I'', p. 162</ref>

In the spring of 1436 Princess Margaret sailed to France, and in August Scotland entered the war, with James leading a large army to lay siege to the English enclave of [[Roxburgh Castle]].<ref name="Brown M. H., James I, ODNB"/> The campaign was to prove pivotal, the ''Book of Pluscarden'' describes ' ''a detestable split and most unworthy difference arising from jealosy'' ' within the Scottish camp and the historian Michael Brown explains that a contemporary source has James appointing his young and inexperienced cousin, Robert Stewart of Atholl, as the constable of the host ahead of the experienced [[March (territory)|march]] wardens, the earls of Douglas and Angus. Brown explains that both earls possessed considerable local interests and that the effects of such a large army living off the land may have created resentment and hostility in the area. When the militant prelates of York and Durham, together with the Earl of Northumberland, took their forces into the marches to relieve the fortress, the Scots swiftly retreated—a chronicle written a year later said that the Scots 'had fled wretchedly and ignominiously' — but what is certain is that the effects and manner of the defeat, together with the loss of their expensive artillery, was a major reversal for James both in terms of foreign policy and internal authority.<ref>Brown, ''James I'', pp. 164–165</ref><ref>Grant, ''Independence and Nationhood'', p. 50</ref>