=11. Annexation of Orkney and Shetland.=--For many years the rent of the _Western Isles_ had not been paid to the _King of Norway_. There were heavy arrears due to him which had been demanded in the last reign. It was now agreed to settle the matter peaceably by the marriage of _James_ with _Margaret_, daughter of _Christian of Norway_, in 1469. Her dowry was the claim for the arrears and 60,000 florins, in security for which the _Orkney and Shetland Isles_ were placed as pledges in the hands of the King of Scotland. These islands have never been redeemed by payment of the sum agreed on. _Arran_ had been chiefly concerned in bringing about this marriage. During his absence at the court of Christian his enemies were busy in compassing his fall. His wife sent him timely warning of his danger, and he fled first to _Denmark_ and finally to _England_, whither his father had also escaped. But _Alexander_, the younger son, was made the scapegoat for the sins of his kindred. He was seized, tried, and put to death for his share in kidnapping the King, which was now denounced as treason. The family estates were forfeited, and most of them were declared inalienable from the Crown. =12. Relations with England.=--In the beginning of the reign, _Edward the Fourth_ kept up a seeming show of friendliness, but he was secretly treating with _Douglas_ and the _Lord of the Isles_ to the effect that they should hold the two parts of Scotland as principalities dependent on England. The end of this underhand dealing was that _John_, son of the Lord of the Isles, invaded and wasted the district that was to be his principality, all the country north of the Scots Water. This led to the final breaking up of the lordship of the Isles, for he was called to account for his rebellion, and was required to resign the districts of _Knapdale_ and _Kintyre_, the original Scottish kingdom; the sheriffdoms of _Inverness_ and _Nairn_, and the earldom of _Ross_, which was vested in the Crown. In exchange for his proud but doubtful title of Lord of the Isles, he was made a peer of parliament. In 1474 a marriage was arranged between Edward's daughter _Cecily_ and _James_ the Prince of Scotland. It was broken off owing to a quarrel between the King and his brothers, _Alexander Duke of Albany_, and _John Earl of Mar_. They were much more popular than James, and, when Mar died suddenly in _Craigmillar Castle_, James was suspected of having poisoned him. Albany was arrested and confined in Edinburgh Castle on a charge of treasonable dealings with Edward. He escaped to _France_ in hopes of getting _Louis the Eleventh_ to take his part, but he found a more willing helper in Edward. An agreement was made that Edward should place Albany on the throne of Scotland, that he should hold it, and that he should marry the _Lady Cecily_. After divers threatening messages had been exchanged between the two governments, and many threatenings of attack had been made, a great Scottish army