James VI and I

James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI and King of England and King of Ireland as James I. He was the first monarch to rule all of Great Britain. He ruled in Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 until his death and also in England and Ireland from 24 March 1603 to his death. He became king of Scotland as a baby after his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, had to abdicate. 

His reign was important because it was the first time that England and Scotland had the same monarch. He was the first monarch of England from the House of Stuart. The previous English monarch had been Elizabeth I, from the House of Tudor. She had died without any children and so she decided to have a Scottish monarch rule England because James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. That made him Elizabeth's the closest relative. By being king of both kingdoms, he created a personal union, the Union of the Crowns.

James fought often with the Parliament of England. In addition, he did not use English money well. While James ruled, the Scottish and English governments were quite stable. After James died, his son Charles I tried to rule like James but caused the English Civil War. At the end of the war in 1649, Charles was executed.

James was very well educated and interested in learning. He helped people in England and in Scotland study things such as science, literature and art. James wrote Daemonologie in 1597, The True Law of Free Monarchies in 1598, Basilikon Doron in 1599 and A Counterblaste to Tobacco in 1604. He also sponsored the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

James was a target of the Gunpowder Plot. A group of Catholics planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on 5 November 1605 during a ceremony while James was in the building. The plot was stopped when a member of the group, Guy Fawkes, was found in a basement with barrels of gunpowder. The event is remembered every year on 5 November, also known as Bonfire Night, when many people celebrate by lighting bonfires and having fireworks.

James believed in witchcraft. When he read the sceptic The Discoverie of Witchcraft, he ordered all copies of the book to be burnt. 

James was important for the first English settlers since he granted a charters to Sir Thomas Gates and other members of the Virginia Company in 1606. That was the first permanent English-established settlement in North America.

In 1625, James suffered a stroke while he was hunting at his favorite lodge. He died in his bed a few hours later.

References


Category:1566 births
Category:1625 deaths
Category:House of Stuart
Category:Kings and Queens of Scotland
Category:Kings and Queens of Great Britain
Category:16th century in Scotland
Category:17th century in Scotland
Category:17th century in England