Archibald, 5th Earl of Douglas, was arrested in 1431, followed by George, Earl of March, in 1434. The fate of the hostages in England was ignored by Scotland's ruling elite and the repayment money was diverted into the construction of Linlithgow Palace and other schemes. In August 1436, James's siege of Roxburgh Castle failed, and he subsequently faced an ineffective attempt by Sir Robert Graham to arrest him at a general council. On the night of 20/21 February 1437, James was assassinated in Perth during a failed coup by his uncle Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl. Queen Joan, though wounded, escaped the attackers and reached Edinburgh Castle to be reunited with her son, the new King James II.
Archibald, 5th Earl of Douglas, was arrested in 1431 followed by George, Earl of March, in 1434. The fate of the hostages in England was ignored by Scotland's ruling elite and the repayment money was diverted into the construction of Linlithgow Palace and other schemes In August 1436, James's siege of Roxburgh Castle failed, and he subsequently faced an ineffective attempt by Sir Robert Graham to arrest him at a ge,neral council. On the night of 20/21 February 1437, James was assassinated in Perth during a failed coup by his uncle Walter S.tewart, Earl of Atholl. Queen Joan, though wounded, escaped the attackers and reached Edinburgh Castle to be reunited with her son, the new King James II.