James I

James I

First of the Stuarts. In Scotland he is known as James VI. Having become the king of England (1603-1625) and Scotland (1567-1625), he began to call himself the king of Great Britain for the first time
Date of Birth: 19.06.1566
Country: Great Britain

Content:
  1. Biography of James I
  2. Reign as King of England
  3. Challenges and Decline

Biography of James I

James I, the first of the Stuarts, is known as James VI in Scotland. He became the King of England (1603-1625) and Scotland (1567-1625) and was the first to be called the King of Great Britain. James was the only son of Scottish Queen Mary and Lord Darnley. He was born in Edinburgh Castle. After his mother's overthrow, one-year-old James was crowned as the King of Scotland, under the name James VI, on July 29, 1567. James' tutors, George Buchanan and Peter Young, began to introduce him to advanced scholarly studies at an early age and instilled in him a love for reasoning, especially in the field of theology. As a young man, James fell under the influence of two favorites: Esmé Stewart, Duke of Lennox, and James Stewart, a daring adventurer better known as the Earl of Arran. The defensive alliance with England, concluded in 1586, faced a serious test in 1587 when Queen Elizabeth I of England executed James' mother. However, James did not abandon the alliance, fearing that it would jeopardize his claim to the English throne. In November 1589, he married a Protestant, Anne, the daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark. In his mature age, James was convinced of the divine right of kings, considering himself an absolute ruler appointed by God. James was determined to subdue the unruly nobility and the Presbyterian clergy who encroached on secular power. His chief advisor for ten years (1585-1595) was John Maitland of Thirlestane. Despite the difficulties posed by a group of Catholic aristocrats and Francis Stewart Hepburn, the unruly Earl of Bothwell, who even attempted to kidnap the king, Maitland managed to lay the foundations of James' absolutism in Scotland after 1603.

Reign as King of England

When Queen Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603, James became the King of England as James I. During his reign, James faced a number of difficult challenges: the people's income decreased while prices rose; Parliament behaved aggressively and uncompromisingly; the church left by Elizabeth did not satisfy either the Puritans or the Catholics; and a religious war on the continent seemed almost inevitable. The first half of James' reign was not devoid of successes. His chief advisor until 1612 was Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, a prudent politician who had also served Elizabeth. In 1604, peace was concluded with Spain (since 1585, England had been in a state of undeclared war with Spain). James supported the Church of England as established by Elizabeth. He allowed a group of Puritans who were members of the church but wished to reform it to present their views at the Hampton Court Conference in 1604. However, most of the issues were resolved in favor of the king, and when a Puritan used the unfortunate word "presbytery," James thought they were plotting for Scottish-style Presbyterianism, which, as he said, "agreed with monarchy as well as the Devil with God." "As soon as bishops are removed from power and replaced by Puritans," James said, "I know what will become of my authority. No bishop, no king." "If this is all they have to say," he continued in anger, turning to the Puritans, "I will make them confirm their loyalty to the church - or they will be expelled." The most fortunate outcome of the conference was the new translation of the Bible, known as the King James Bible, published in 1611.

Challenges and Decline

Catholics, who had high expectations of James, were disappointed, and a few Catholic fanatics planned the failed Gunpowder Plot - the explosion of Parliament together with the king, scheduled for November 5, 1605. Soon, James' relationship with Parliament became strained. James believed he stood above Parliament and the law, but the House of Commons was determined to assert its power. James also clashed with Edward Coke, an influential judge who defended the inviolability of common law. In 1616, James dismissed Coke from office. The second half of James' reign was a period of weakness and degeneration. James granted great powers to two favorites: Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, whose downfall occurred in 1615, and George Villiers, later Duke of Buckingham. Steps towards financial and administrative reform, taken by Lionel Cranfield, only brought temporary recovery, and relations with foreign states worsened.

At first, James' allies were Protestant or anti-Spanish Catholic states, and in 1613, his daughter Elizabeth married the German Protestant Frederick V, Elector Palatine. However, after 1614, James fell out with his old friends. Hoping to receive a large dowry in the event of his son Charles marrying a Spanish princess, he pursued a policy of appeasing the Spanish. One of the milestones of this downward course was the execution of Walter Raleigh in 1618, which was demanded by Spain. James' difficulties worsened when the Thirty Years' War broke out in Germany in 1618 between Protestants and Catholics, and when Spain invaded the Palatinate in 1620. In 1621, James called a Parliament, but soon fell out with it - the Parliament's refusal to grant him additional funds rendered the king powerless in foreign policy. James continued to support the idea of his son marrying a Spanish woman, but Charles and Buckingham were fierce opponents of Spain. When James died on March 27, 1625, at Theobalds Palace (in Hertfordshire, near London), England and Spain were on the brink of war. James published two volumes of youthful poetry - The Essayes of a Prentise in the Divine Art of Poesie (1584) and His Maiesties Poeticall Exercises at Vacant Houres (1591). Later, he turned to prose, publishing Daemonologie (1597), The Trew Law of Free Monarchies (1598), Basilikon Doron (1599), A Counterblaste to Tobacco (1604), An Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance (1608), and A Premonition to All Most Mightie Monarches (1609).

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