James VI and I
James Charles Stuart was born on the 19th of June 1566 at Edinburgh Castle. He became King of Scotland at the age of thirteen months after his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate on the 24th of July 1567. Four regents governed during his minority before he gained full control in 1583. The first regent was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, who defeated Mary's troops at the Battle of Langside in 1568. Moray was assassinated on the 23rd of January 1570 by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh. Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox, succeeded him but died a year later while carrying a fatal wound into Stirling Castle. James Hamilton, Earl of Mar, took office next and died on the 28th of October 1572 at Stirling after falling ill following a banquet at Dalkeith Palace given by James Douglas, Earl of Morton. Morton proved the most effective regent yet made enemies through rapacity. He fell from favor when Esmé Stewart, Sieur d'Aubigny arrived in Scotland and established himself as the king's first powerful favorite. James was proclaimed an adult ruler on the 19th of October 1579. Morton was executed on the 2nd of June 1581 for complicity in Darnley's murder. James then remained under Lennox's influence for about one more year until the Ruthven Raid in August 1582 forced Lennox to leave.
James married Anne of Denmark in a proxy ceremony in Copenhagen in August 1589. Anne sailed for Scotland but was forced by storms to Norway. James sailed from Leith with a 300-strong retinue to fetch her personally. This event led to mutual acquaintanceship between James and Christian IV, future King of Denmark. They were formally married at the Bishop's Palace in Oslo on the 23rd of November. James received a dowry of 75,000 Danish dalers plus a gift of 10,000 dalers from his mother-in-law Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. The couple returned to Scotland on the 1st of May 1590 after stops at Elsinore and Copenhagen. Three children survived to adulthood: Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales; Elizabeth, later Queen of Bohemia; and Charles, James's successor. Henry died of typhoid fever in 1612 at age 18. Anne suffered recurrent sickness and was seriously ill from 1617. James visited her only three times during her final illness. She died before him in March 1619. After Anne's death, James maintained good standing with Denmark-Norway. In 1613, diplomats James Spens and Robert Anstruther helped mediate peace between Denmark and Sweden.
James attended the North Berwick witch trials, the first major persecution under the Witchcraft Act 1563. Several people were convicted of using witchcraft to send storms against James's ship, most notably Agnes Sampson. He wrote Daemonologie in 1597 as a tract opposing witchcraft that provided background material for Shakespeare's Macbeth. James personally supervised the torture of women accused of being witches. His views became more skeptical after 1599. In a letter to his son Henry he congratulated the prince on discovering a counterfeit wench and warned judges to be wary of trusting accusations. The Statutes of Iona were enacted in 1609 requiring clan chiefs to support Protestant ministers, outlaw bards, report regularly to Edinburgh, and send heirs to Lowland Scotland for education. These statutes aimed specifically at extirpating the Gaelic language and suppressing its bearers. Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney, resisted the statutes and was imprisoned. His natural son Robert led an unsuccessful rebellion. Both the Earl and his son were hanged, their estates forfeited, and the Orkney and Shetland islands annexed to the Crown.
Elizabeth I died in the early hours of the 24th of March 1603, and James was proclaimed king in London later that same day. On the 5th of April James left Edinburgh for London, promising to return every three years though he never kept this promise. He arrived in the capital on the 7th of May, nine days after Elizabeth's funeral. Local lords received him with lavish hospitality along the route. James claimed he was swapping a stony couch for a deep feather bed. His coronation took place on the 25th of July at Westminster Abbey but plague restricted festivities. The Royal Entry to London was deferred until the 15th of March 1604. James achieved more success in foreign policy than domestic union. A peace treaty with Spain was signed in August 1604 thanks to Robert Cecil and Henry Howard. In April 1604 the Commons refused his request to be titled King of Great Britain on legal grounds. In October 1604 he assumed the title instead though Francis Bacon told him he could not use it in any legal proceeding. James forced the Scottish Parliament to use it on proclamations, coinage, letters, and treaties in both realms. He advocated for a single parliament but the kingdoms remained sovereign states with their own laws.
Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellars of parliament buildings on the night of 4, the 5th of November 1605. He guarded 36 barrels of gunpowder intended to blow up Parliament House the following day. James put it as causing destruction not only of his person or wife and posterity but of the whole body of the State. The Earl of Salisbury exploited this to extract higher subsidies from Parliament. Fawkes and others implicated were executed. On the 7th of July 1604 James had angrily prorogued Parliament after failing to win support for full union or financial subsidies. He remarked I will not thank where I feel no thanks due. In February 1610 Salisbury proposed the Great Contract whereby Parliament would grant £600,000 plus an annual grant of £200,000 in return for ten royal concessions. Negotiations became so protracted that James dismissed Parliament on the 31st of December 1610. The Addled Parliament of 1614 lasted nine weeks before dissolution when Commons hesitated to grant required money. James then ruled without parliament until 1621 employing officials like Lionel Cranfield who raised and saved money for the crown.
James published Some Rules and Cautions to be Observed and Eschewed in Scottish Prosody in 1584 at age 18. It was both a poetic manual and description of Scots tradition applying Renaissance principles. He made statutory provision to reform teaching of music in Sang Sculis. James was patron and head of the Castalian Band including William Fowler and Alexander Montgomerie. He wrote Daemonologie in 1597 and The True Law of Free Monarchies in 1598. Basilikon Doron written as instruction for Prince Henry is considered well written perhaps the best prose James ever produced. In 1604 the Hampton Court Conference commissioned new translation of Bible completed in 1611 known as King James Version. It remains masterpiece of Jacobean prose still widely used today. James also authored A Counterblaste to Tobacco in 1604 denouncing tobacco strongly. His prolific output included An Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance in 1608 and A Premonition to All Most Mightie Monarches in 1609. Writers like Shakespeare, John Donne, Ben Jonson, and Francis Bacon contributed to flourishing literary culture during his reign.
Esmé Stewart, Duke of Lennox; Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset; and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham were among James's close male courtiers. Carr had an adulterous affair with Frances Howard Countess of Essex daughter of Earl of Suffolk. James assisted Frances by securing annulment to free her to marry Carr now Earl of Somerset. Overbury died in September 1613 in Tower of London where he was placed at king's request. Rumors of foul play circulated since death but emerged publicly in summer 1615 when Governor sent letter informing king warder brought poisoned food. Among convicted were Earl and Countess of Somerset though James pardoned Countess and commuted Earl's sentence eventually pardoning him in 1624. The implication of king in such scandal irreparably tarnished James's court with image of corruption. Downfall of Howards left Villiers unchallenged as supreme figure in government by 1619. When Salisbury died in 1612 Elizabethan administrative system continued functioning efficiently until that point then entered period of decline and disrepute.
James died at Theobalds House in Hertfordshire on the 27th of March 1625 aged 58 during violent attack of dysentery with Buckingham at his bedside. His funeral on the 7th of May was magnificent but disorderly affair according to John Chamberlain who observed all performed with great magnificence yet very confused and disorderly. Bishop John Williams of Lincoln preached sermon later printed as Great Britain's Salomon. James buried in Westminster Abbey position lost for many years until lead coffin found in Henry VII vault during 19th century excavation. Anti-Stuart historians of mid-17th century like Anthony Weldon wrote treatises establishing foundations of English Civil War narrative. Edward Peyton Divine Catastrophe of Kingly Family published 1652; Arthur Wilson History of Great Britain published 1658; Francis Osborne Historical Memoirs published 1658. David Harris Willson's 1956 biography continued hostility calling it astonishing spectacle of work proclaiming increasing hatred. Since Willson stability of government earned re-evaluation from many historians rescuing reputation from tradition of criticism. Pauline Croft's 2003 biography represents new perspective recognizing good intentions in Anglo-Scottish union openness to different points of view agenda of peaceful foreign policy within financial means.
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Common questions
When was James VI and I born?
James Charles Stuart was born on the 19th of June 1566 at Edinburgh Castle.
Who became King of Scotland after Mary Queen of Scots abdicated in 1567?
James Charles Stuart became King of Scotland at the age of thirteen months after his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate on the 24th of July 1567.
What happened during the North Berwick witch trials under James VI and I?
James attended the North Berwick witch trials where several people were convicted of using witchcraft to send storms against James's ship, most notably Agnes Sampson. He wrote Daemonologie in 1597 as a tract opposing witchcraft that provided background material for Shakespeare's Macbeth.
How did James VI and I die and when did he pass away?
James died at Theobalds House in Hertfordshire on the 27th of March 1625 aged 58 during violent attack of dysentery with Buckingham at his bedside.
When did Elizabeth I die and when was James proclaimed king in London?
Elizabeth I died in the early hours of the 24th of March 1603, and James was proclaimed king in London later that same day.