Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Hawansa zuwa mulki a cikin masarautar ya fara ne da mummunar rashin nasarar babban ɗan'uwansa Archibald Douglas, Earl na 4 na Douglas, a yakin Homildon Hill
a watan Satumbar 1402, inda Ingila ta kama shi. James yanzu ya zama shugaban babban reshe na dangi Douglas mai iko kuma an bar shi don kula da tasirin su a kudancin Scotland. Nasarar da ya samu a wannan batun ya kiyaye tasirin Douglas har zuwa dawowar babban dan uwansa daga zaman talala a cikin 1409, a lokacin da ya ɗauki matsayin mai ba da shawara kuma an ba shi lada tare da ba da babbar ƙasa. Mafi mahimmanci daga cikin waɗannan shi ne sansanin Abercorn Castle, wanda zai zama babban gidansa na sauran rayuwarsa.