James III, King of Scots, was an unpopular monarch. Despite his reign seeing the addition of the Orkney and Shetland Isles to the Scottish kingdom (as mortgaged lands by the Danish king instead of a dowry for his daughter), by 1488, James III had survived several attempts to limit his authority by discontented members of his nobility.On 11 June 1488, however, the discontented nobles united behind the king\'s son (later IV) and met James III in battle. The king\'s army was defeated and James III fled the field. Resting in a mill adjacent to the battlefield, he was stabbed to death by an opponent disguised as a priest.James IV (1488-1513) was proclaimed king but regretted the action he had taken against his father - for the rest of his adult life, he wore an iron chain around his waist as penance for his deed.
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