His father Duke Robert married a second time, to Muriella de Keith, with whom he had four children, the elder of whom was John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan (1381–1424).

Father and son would now work together to expand their family interest, bringing them into violent confrontation with other members of the nobility, such as Donald McDonald, 2nd Lord of the Isles.

[1] Stewart served in Scottish military actions against the English in the early 15th century and was captured at the Battle of Homildon Hill, which took place on 14 September 1402 in Northumberland, England.

William Shakespeare later wrote, in his play Henry IV, Part 1: Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights, Balk'd in their own blood did Sir Walter see On Holmedon's plains.

Murdoch Stewart's captivity in England did not prevent his father from ruthlessly pursuing the family interest, often through violent means.

At this time Murdoch Stewart was still a prisoner in England, but in 1416 he was exchanged for Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, and he returned to Scotland.

Few serious attempts appear to have been made by Duke Albany to return James to Scotland,[6] but eventually political pressure compelled Murdoch to agree to a general council.

[7] A ransom treaty of 60,000 marks (an enormous sum) was agreed at Durham on 28 March 1424, to which James attached his own seal – he and his queen, accompanied by an escort of English and Scottish nobles, proceeded to Melrose Abbey, arriving on 5 April where he met Albany to receive the governor's seal of office.

At his coronation parliament the king – probably with the intent of securing a cohesive political community loyal to the crown – knighted 18 prominent nobles including Albany's son Alexander Stewart.

[10] At this stage, it is probable that the king felt unable to take action against the Albany Stewarts while Murdoch's brother, John Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas were fighting the English in France alongside their Dauphinist French allies.

[11] Buchan was a soldier with an international reputation and commanded the large Scottish army of around 6,000 men, a formidable force.

However, both he and Douglas were killed at the Battle of Verneuil in August 1424 and the Scottish army was routed – the loss of these Albany allies with their fighting force left Murdoch politically exposed.

[14] Duke Murdoch, his sons Walter and Alexander, and Duncan, Earl of Lennox were in Stirling Castle for their trial on 18 May 1425, at a prorogued parliament in the presence of the King.

More importantly, he secured his reign from the threat which had been constantly posed to him by the Albany Stewarts since his older brother's death, probably at their hands, decades before.

Albany's grandson, James "Beag" Stewart (c 1410—1470), would eventually secure a pardon from the King and return to Scotland, though the family would never recover their lost estates.

[26] Albany's wife, Isabella of Lennox, survived the execution of her family, though she spent eight years as a royal prisoner at Tantallon Castle.