Gone Medieval: James II and the Deadly Black Dinner

Podcast: Gone Medieval (History Hit)
Host: Dr. Eleanor Janega (with Professor Michael Brown, University of St Andrews)
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This gripping episode delves into the turbulent reign of James II of Scotland and the infamous Black Dinner of 1440—a grisly affair whose echoes reverberate through Scottish history and even popular culture (famously inspiring the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones). Host Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Michael Brown to unpack the political intrigue, dynastic feuding, regicide, and the devastating consequences for the Douglas family—a story marked by betrayal, violence, and complex power struggles among Scottish nobility.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Scotland in Turmoil (08:31-14:03)

• Political Upheaval: Scotland in the early-to-mid-15th century was a kingdom in flux, largely due to King James I’s attempts to centralize royal power and curb the influence of the nobility.
  • “It's a kingdom in flux...James has been responsible...for forcefully confronting members of his nobility, to the extent of the execution of his first cousin.”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 08:31)
• Regicide as Revolution: James I’s assassination in 1437 was a radical break from Scottish tradition.
  • “It's a conspiracy, it's a real revolutionary act in its own right...what's happening in James I's reign is something quite new in terms of the king executing great nobles...his assassination is a recognition that for some people that is unacceptable and there's no way of dealing with him except to kill him.”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 10:36)

2. The Murder of James I and Power Vacuum (14:03-21:17)

• Details of the Regicide: James I was murdered in a friary after a breach orchestrated by household conspirators and led by Robert Graham.
  • Memorable moment: James hiding in a sewer after ripping up floorboards, only to be found and killed—a tale both dramatic and tragic.
• Aftermath and Joan Beaufort’s Response: The Queen (Joan Beaufort) acts swiftly, securing her son (the future James II), rallying loyalists, and ensuring brutal retribution against the assassins.
  • “She essentially masterminds the royal counter attack...mobilizes people to seize control...and avenging her husband.”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 17:31)
  • Public executions were intentionally spectacular and gruesome to deter further dissent.

3. James II’s Minority: Who Rules, and Why Are the Douglases So Powerful? (21:34-29:38)

• James II’s Upbringing: His reign began at age six, education and power deferred to regents and a council—most conspicuously the Douglases.
• Rise and Mythos of the Douglases:
  • “The Douglases are the epitome of late medieval Scotland...they build this image of being the...defenders of Scotland against the English...using that role to justify special status.”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 26:04)
  • Their identity (“Black Douglases”) deliberately invokes fear and a sense of formidable power.

4. The Black Dinner—Betrayal Over Banquet (37:44-41:13)

• The Infamous Night:
  • In 1440, 16-year-old Earl William Douglas and his younger brother are invited to dine at Edinburgh Castle, supposedly under the king’s (then ten years old) protection.
  • At the climactic moment, a black bull’s head—“a symbol of treason”—is served. The Douglas brothers are seized and summarily executed in the castle yard, followed days later by Malcolm Fleming, an ally.
  • “It is a shocking, deeply shocking event for people...”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 39:29)
• Political Machinations:
  • William Crichton (Chancellor and keeper of the castle), seen as prime architect; James Douglas (the boys’ uncle who inherited their estate) and others benefit.
  • The actual details are muddied by propaganda and later embellishment, but contemporary records confirm the basic facts of the executions.

Memorable Quote

“Edinburgh Castle, tower and town, God grant you sink for sin, even for the Black Dinner, Earl Douglas got within.”
(Professor Michael Brown quoting a 17th-century rhyme, 03:09)

5. Trauma, Legacy, and the Shadow of Violence (43:48-50:49)

• Effects on James II:
  • Witnessing such brutality in his formative years likely shaped him.
  • “So many things that James II witnesses as a child, which may have a psychological effect, as we'll see.”
    (Professor Michael Brown, 43:56)
• European Attention:
  • News of such events (and the rise/fall of powerful Scottish nobles) echoes through Continental chronicles, highlighting the notoriety of Scottish violence.

6. James II’s Reign—From Victim to Ruthless King (48:51-64:50)

• Coming of Age:
  • James II described as “fiery-faced,” athletic, and sinister, taking direct interest in warfare. His aggressive personality is attributed in part to his traumatic childhood.
• Confrontations with the Douglases:
  • His majority is marked by continued, calculated violence, particularly against the Black Douglases.
  • The “Stirling murder” of the 8th Earl of Douglas—James II stabs the earl during a parley, triggering further civil war.
    • “...James stabs Douglas in the neck and then his servants, his household guards, pile in and essentially cut the Earl of Douglas to pieces and cue a major civil war.”
      (Professor Michael Brown, 51:27)
  • Parliament is compelled to “justify” the king’s actions publicly, reflecting the tenuous line between kingship and lawlessness.
• Strategic Statecraft:
  • James II learns from previous instability, drawing support from other noble factions, and availing himself of moments of English weakness to crush domestic rivals.

Notable Quote

“He is certainly effective as a king. He creates a degree of unanimity behind himself, even bringing back families who have supported the Douglases...That's good politics for a king.”
(Professor Michael Brown, 60:29)

7. James II’s Dramatic Death (62:24-64:54)

• Killed by His Own Artillery:
  • While personally overseeing the siege of Roxburgh Castle in 1460, James II is killed when one of his cannons explodes, severing his leg.
    • “...One morning before he’s heard mass...he goes to see one of his great guns firing. The gun bursts...a fragment of metal strikes the king...and he bleeds to death.”
      (Professor Michael Brown, 62:31)
  • The siege is won regardless, and the king is said to have died “doing what he loved—violence.”
    • “Well. He died doing what he loved, violence.”
      (Podcast Host, 64:50)

8. The Kingdom James II Leaves Behind (65:11-67:42)

• Legacy of Centralized Power:
  • By the end of his reign, Scottish nobility are more firmly anchored to royal authority; his legacy is a “unanimous” nobility looking to the crown.
  • His wife, Mary of Guelders, is successfully accepted as regent—a sign of stability James II forged through ruthless consolidation.

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Quote & Context | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:09 | “God grant ye sink for sin, even for the Black Dinner, Earl Douglas gat therein.” — Reciting a popular rhyme | | 10:36 | “It's a conspiracy, it's a real revolutionary act in its own right...” — Prof. Brown on James I’s assassination | | 17:31 | “She [Joan Beaufort] essentially masterminds the royal counter attack...” | | 26:04 | “The Douglases are the epitome of late medieval Scotland...” | | 39:29 | “It is a shocking, deeply shocking event for people...” – Prof. Brown, on the Black Dinner | | 43:56 | “So many things that James II witnesses as a child, which may have a psychological effect...” | | 51:27 | “James stabs Douglas in the neck and then his servants...cut the Earl of Douglas to pieces...” | | 60:29 | “He is certainly effective as a king. He creates a degree of unanimity behind himself...” | | 62:31 | “He goes to see one of his great guns firing. The gun bursts...and he bleeds to death.” | | 64:50 | “Well. He died doing what he loved, violence.” — Host’s macabre summary | | 67:28 | “You kill enough people, you’re going to get to some kind of solution eventually. I suppose. Might be one lesson.”|

Timeline of the Black Dinner & Aftermath (Key Segments & Timestamps)

• Prelude—James I’s Murder: 14:03-20:23
• Rise of the Douglases: 26:04-29:38
• The Black Dinner in Detail: 37:44-41:13
• Psychological Impact on James II: 43:48-50:49
• Stirling Murder & Final Suppression of Douglases: 51:27-60:29
• Death of James II: 62:24-64:54

Final Thoughts

The episode paints a vivid portrait of a kingdom where violence and political murder were not just the products of ambition, but the tools of statecraft. By tracing the threads of conspiracy, betrayal, and survival through James II’s childhood trauma to his ruthless, effective kingship, the hosts and guest distill both the horror and the enduring fascination of the Black Dinner—a story of trust betrayed, hospitality profaned, and the ever-turning wheel of medieval power.

Engaging, darkly witty, and rich with story and analysis, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in medieval intrigue—or for fans of Game of Thrones wanting to know the true history behind the Red Wedding.