Gone Medieval James II and the Deadly Black Dinner
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Feb 10, 2026 Professor Michael Brown, a medieval historian at St. Andrews, unpacks the Black Dinner of 1440 and the brutal politics of late medieval Scotland. He traces the Douglases' rise, the council's plotted summons, and the chilling feast that ended in execution. He also explores how these events shaped young James II and fueled later conflicts, violence, and propaganda across Europe.
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The Black Dinner Dramatic Account
- The Douglas brothers were summoned to dine with the young King James in Edinburgh Castle in November 1440.
- A severed black bull's head was presented and the brothers were seized and later executed in the castle yard.
A New Model Of Assertive Kingship
- James I returned from England with new ideas of kingship and enforced royal authority on nobles.
- His execution of powerful nobles provoked a violent backlash that culminated in his assassination in 1437.
Joan Beaufort's Sharp Response
- After James I's assassination, Joan Beaufort mobilised forces and political support to secure her son's succession.
- She used papal endorsement and brutal public executions of the killers to assert royal authority.
