James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland had a path to the throne that was far from simple. He was the third son of King Robert III and was named heir after the unfortunate deaths of his two older brothers. As one of the deaths was suspicious, James I was set by boat to France for his own protection. In a twist of fate, James’ ship was captured by the English and James was taken as a hostage. Robert III was already quite ill at the time and upon news of his son’s capture died soon after.
The throne was then taken by James’ uncle Robert Stewart the 1st Duke of Albany. The Duke liked being King and refused to pay the ransom requested by the British for the return of the young monarch. So James I spent 18 years as the prisoner of King Henry IV. It was not all bad for James as he was given an education and a lifestyle that was befitting a royal.
In 1424, Robert Stewart died and the ransom for James was paid, finally allowing him to return home to Scotland. Once home, James I sought to get revenge on the Albany Stewarts, executing the leading members of the family. He sought to reform the greed and corruption that had flourished under his uncle while also modernizing Scottish procedure. His efforts were not always popular and it led to some looking for a way to unseat the King.
James I was attacked by a group of Scottish nobles who believed him to be illegitimate. The King broke through the floorboards of his apartment in order to escape into the sewers. He made it deep into the sewers but in yet another twist of fate, the sewers had been sealed on James I’s orders after he had lost too many tennis balls. Trapped in the sewers the nobles caught up to him and stabbed him to death.