A Spanish visitor to Scotland described the king as "of noble stature, neither tall nor short, and as handsome in complexion and shape as a man can be. He speaks the following languages: Latin, very
well; French, German, Flemish, Italian and Spanish. He is courageous, even more so than a king should be".

In 1488 when James IV became king, he was an adult and for the first time in several generations no regent was required to rule Scotland. Because of his fore-knowledge of the treachery causing his
father's death, as penance James IV wore an iron chain around his waist.
James IV tried to centralize the administration of his government and, in 1493, he subdued the last Lord of the Isles. He reformed the army and the navy and pursued an active foreign policy. At first,
relations with England were strained as he supported the pretender, Perkin Warbeck, and allowed border raids even when a truce was signed.

In 1495 James IV gave legal recognition to the Clan Cameron over their lands and Kings College of Aberdeen University is established. In 1496 he decreed that all Scottish Barons and Free Holders of
competent estates shall send their sons to school at the age of eight and keep them there until they learn Latin, then a further three years learning Art and Law.

Margaret Drummond had been his mistress and he had already fathered a daughter by her. However, when it was rumoured that he was going to marry her, she was poisoned together with several other
members of her family. James IV was now unencumbered and, with the peace treaty of 1502, agreed to marry Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England.

For a while this brought peace between the two countries but this was shattered when, in 1512, Margaret's brother King Henry VIII joined the Holy Alliance against France. As an ally of France, James IV invaded northern England. His army was much larger than England's, yet at Flodden the Scots were decimated. James IV, together with the flower of all Scottish nobility, met his death, again leaving Scotland a minor for king requiring a regency.

Source: Leo van de Pas