Kipchak Mongols besieging a Genoese trading centre on the Crimean coast catapulted their own dead into the city. The cause of death was a mysterious disease. The Genoese escaped by sea taking the 'Black Death' with them. They landed at Messina in Sicily. Black Death or Bubonic plague was spread by the rat flea. The name Black Death came from the colour of the swelling in the groin, armpit or neck. The person suffering went into a coma and dies soon after. In Europe an estimated 25 million people died. The plague reached Britain in 1348 and again in 1360 and the population may have been reduced by a half. ^[1]

David, the eldest son of Robert III, King of Scotland, was arrested by his uncle, Robert the duke of Albany and locked up in Falkland Palace where he died in 1402. This led to James I becoming the next king of Scotland.

Robert III of Scotland had fled from the Duke of Albany to Rothesay Castle and had attempted to send his son James to France. English pirates intercepted James and he was sent to London and imprisoned.

With the death of Robert III, King of the Scots, James I became the new King of Scotland but as he was imprisoned by the English, his uncle Robert, Duke of Albany, acted as Regent until the release of James in 1424. ^[2]

When James I returned to Scotland and take the thone he found that the country was in a poor state of affairs. There were many barons who had used the time of his imprisonment to further their own ambitions rather than to protect Scotland and it's people. These included Murdoch Stewart and his sons, Walter and Alexander. Murdoch had been acting as regent since the death of his father, Robert Duke of Albany in 1420. King James had Walter, Alexander and finally Murdoch arrested and executed at Stirling Castle.