James II (of Scotland)

James II (of Scotland) (1430-1460), king of Scotland (1437-1460), son of King James I, born in Edinburgh. He was crowned shortly after the murder of his father in 1437. A regency led by the Douglas family ruled until 1449, when James began to govern by himself. His efforts to promote social welfare were greatly obstructed by the nobles, especially by William, 8th earl of Douglas, who was involved in treason and who was stabbed to death by the king. James crushed a revolt of the Douglas family in 1452 and seized their estates. He then became entangled in the Wars of the Roses, a contest between the houses of York and Lancaster for the English throne. In 1460, at the head of an army, he was killed during the siege of Roxburgh Castle in Scotland. He was succeeded as king by his son James III.