severely weakened in health by the kick of a horse, which rendered him unfit for active exertion, it was agreed at a meeting of the estates in 1389 that he should be elected guardian of the kingdom until the Earl of Carrick should recover from his weakness, or until the latter's eldest son David should be able to assume the government (Acta Parl. Scot. i. 555). Immediately afterwards the Earl of Fife and Menteith set out with a large force for England to meet a challenge of the Earl of Nottingham, marshal of England and warden of the eastern marches, who had declared his readiness to engage in fair fight any Scottish force, though double in numbers to his own; but finding Nottingham entrenched in a position of great strength, from which he declined to move out, the earl returned immediately to Scotland (Wyntoun, bk. ix. chap. ix. lines 33 &c.; Fordun, ii. 414). Shortly afterwards the French, having concluded a three years' truce with England, induced the Scots to agree to a suspension of hostilities.
On the death of Robert II, 13 May 1390, and the succession of his eldest son, John, earl of Carrick, who took the title of Robert III, the Earl of Fife and Menteith, in accordance with the previous agreement, retained the office of governor, and continued to be entrusted with the chief administration of affairs. In 1397 he was sent with his nephew, David, earl of Carrick, to compose the distractions in the north of Scotland, and on 16 March 1397–8 he was appointed, along with the Earl of Carrick, a commissioner to meet with John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, and other English commissioners at Hawdenstank to arrange their mutual differences (Rymer, Fœdera, viii. 35; Cal. Documents relating to Scotland, 1359–1507, No. 502). At a parliament held at Perth on 28 April following he was created Duke of Albany—from Albania, the ancient name of the country between the Forth and the Spey—his nephew David, earl of Carrick [see Stewart, David, Duke of Rothesay], being created Duke of Rothesay (Wyntoun, bk. ix. chap. ix. lines 65 &c.; Fordun, ii. 423). This, the first introduction of the ducal title into Scotland, is supposed to have been occasioned by certain prerogatives claimed, on account of his ducal rank, by the Duke of Lancaster at the recent conference at Hawdenstank.
In January 1398–9, in accordance with the previous understanding, Albany was succeeded in the governorship of the kingdom by the heir to the crown, the Duke of Rothesay, who was elected for three years, and was to act with the advice of a council, of which Albany was one of the principal members (Acta Parl. Scot. i. 572). Whether or how far Albany was jealous of this transference of power to Rothesay is matter of dispute. When Rothesay in 1400 was besieged by Henry IV in Edinburgh Castle, Albany collected a numerous force for his relief, but contented himself with lying encamped on Calder Moor until the approach of colder weather and the lack of provisions compelled the English to raise the siege and proceed southwards (Fordun, ii. 430). This passiveness of Albany has been attributed to indifference as to Rothesay's fate; but there is no evidence that Rothesay was in extremities, and the result fully justified Albany's watchful inactivity, which, moreover, entirely accorded with the usual methods of Scottish strategy. As regards Albany's responsibility for the imprisonment and death of Rothesay in 1402 [see under Stewart, David, Duke of Rothesay], at a meeting of the parliament held on 16 May 1402 it was declared that Rothesay had died from natural causes, and Albany and Douglas, who acknowledged their share in his arrest, were formally pardoned for any breach of the law which that act might have involved (Acta Parl. Scot. i. 582). Albany was further reinstated in the office of governor of the kingdom. Immediately afterwards he sent a force into England, which was routed at Nesbit Moor on 22 June; and another force despatched by him under Douglas, to take revenge by ravaging Northumberland, was on 14 Sept. almost decimated by the English archers under Hotspur, Murdac, eldest son of Albany, being taken prisoner.
During the rebellion of Hotspur against Henry IV, Albany is supposed to have acted in concert with him by undertaking an invasion of England. Hotspur, having collected a large army, made a pretence of advancing into Scotland, where he surrounded the insignificant tower of Cocklaws, and, having entered into an agreement with its commander to capitulate unless relieved within six weeks, immediately retired southwards. This seems to have been intended as a signal for Albany, who, on the pretence of avenging the supposed insult, called a meeting of the nobility and proposed an immediate expedition into England. At first they deemed the affair too insignificant for further notice; but when Albany vowed that he would be at Cocklaws on the appointed day though only his page-boy should accompany them, they at once agreed to collect their vassals. Hardly, however, had Albany set out with an immense army when
