Lion’s Whelp

The murder of James I at Perth in 1437 leaves Scotland to a seven-year-old king and to magnates determined to control him. James II grows up amid the rivalry of the Crichtons, Livingstons and Black Douglases, never certain whether the men who claim to guard the crown are protecting the realm or advancing their own houses. Alexander Lyon, son of the Thane of Glamis, is drawn into this dangerous world through his marriage to Agnes Crichton, daughter of the powerful Sir William Crichton.

Alec becomes companion and loyal attendant to the isolated boy-king, sharing the risks of a court where abduction, shifting alliances and sudden violence are accepted instruments of policy. As James struggles towards personal rule, the Lyons and Crichtons must decide how far loyalty can survive family interest and fear of the Douglases. Beyond Scotland, the dynastic conflict that will become the Wars of the Roses begins to disturb relations with England, ensuring that the young lion’s fight for authority will shape both kingdoms.