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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh anns an Litir mu dheireadh mu Eaglais an Eig air an t-slighe thaistealachd gu Baile Dhubhthaich. Bha Rìgh Seumas IV air an t-slighe sin gu tric. Tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu Sheumas. B’ esan an rìgh mu dheireadh aig an robh Gàidhlig.

            B’ e Seumas mac Rìgh Sheumais III agus a’ bhean Mairead na Danmhairg. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun do rugadh Seumas òg ann an Caisteal Shruighlea – ann an ceithir cheud deug, seachdad ʼs a trì (1473).

            Nuair a bha Seumas dìreach còig bliadhn’ deug, ghabh e thairis bho athair. Bha e fhèin is athair air a dhol a-mach air a chèile. Bha mòran de na h-uaislean, a bha an aghaidh an t-seann rìgh, a’ cur taic ri Seumas òg mar rìgh ùr.

            Thàinig gnothaichean gu ceann aig Blàr Allt an t-Seilich – the Battle of Sauchieburn. Tha sin faisg air Sruighlea. Chaidh an seann rìgh a mharbhadh. Bha am prionnsa òg air a chur air an rìgh-chathair mar Rìgh Seumas IV.

            Bha Seumas gu math comasach. Bha e tuilleadh is eòlach air a’ Bhìoball. Leugh e tòrr leabhraichean. Bha e ioma-chànanach. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun do dh’ionnsaich e Dànais bho a mhàthair. Co-dhiù tha sin ceart no nach eil, bha na cànanan a leanas aige: Laideann, Fraingis, Gearmailtis, Flànrais, Eadailtis, Spàinntis, Albais agus ... seadh ... Gàidhlig.

            Tha aon rud mu dheidhinn air nach eil mi cinnteach. Tha dealbh dheth a’ sealltainn duine le stais bheag ach gun fheusag. Ach tha aithris sgrìobhte ann gun robh feusag mhòr agus falt fada aige.

            Ged a bha Gàidhlig aige, chan eil sin a’ ciallachadh gun robh Seumas bàigheil ris na Gàidheil a bha a’ stiùireadh Tighearnas nan Eilean. Rinn e oidhirp gus a’ Ghàidhealtachd a chur fo smachd làidir an rìgh.

I was telling you in the last Litir about the Nigg [old] church on the pilgrimage route to Tain. King James IV was often on that route. I want to tell you about James. He was the last Gaelic-speaking king.

        James was the son of King James III and his wife Margaret of Denmark. It’s thought that young James was born  in Stirling Castle in 1473.

        When James was only fifteen years old, he took over from his father. He and his father had fallen out with each other. Many of the nobles, who were against the old king, were supporting young James as [the] new king.

        Matters came to a head at the Battle of Sauchieburn. That’s near Stirling. The old king was killed. The young prince was installed on the throne as James IV.

        James was very capable. He knew the Bible well. He read many books. He was multilingual. It’s thought he learned Danish from his mother. Whether or not that is true, he spoke the following languages: Latin, French, German, Flemish, Italian, Spanish, Scots and ... yup ... Gaelic.

        There is one thing about him I’m not sure about. A picture of him shows a man with a small moustache but no beard. But there is a written report that he had a large beard and long hair.

        Although he spoke Gaelic, that doesn’t mean that James was well disposed towards the Gaels that were running the Lordship of the Isles. He attempted to extend the king’s writ across the Highlands.