James II of Scotland (pictured) was killed by an exploding cannon at Roxburgh Castle.

James II was King of Scots from 1437 until his death in 1460. The eldest surviving son of James I of Scotland, he succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of six. James began his personal rule in 1449 after a turbulent minority dominated by the ambitions of successive Earls of Douglas. Tensions between James and William, 8th Earl of Douglas, led to Douglas's murder in 1452 and an ensuing civil war. James defeated the Douglas family in 1455, seizing its lands and forcing its surviving members into exile. James pursued an aggressive foreign policy in the remaining years of his reign; he exploited the Wars of the Roses to launch repeated attacks against England, and sought territorial concessions from France and the Kalmar Union. James summoned frequent parliaments to pass legislation, but faced criticism from these bodies over his judicial policies. He was killed by an exploding bombard at Roxburgh Castle in 1460. James has been described as a largely successful king who strengthened the Scottish monarchy. He was succeeded by his son, James III.