The Scottish King of England
A
Of all those to ascend the British throne, perhaps none was so historically significant as King James I. Born in line to the Scottish throne in 1566 to Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry, Lord Darnley, James was crowned king of Scotland at 13 months old. But not only was he an heir to the Scottish throne, but also one of the strongest contenders to succeed Elizabeth I in England because of his great-grandmother Margaret Tudor, who was the granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville. Also known as the White Queen, James’s great-grandmother was the sister of Henry VIII of England and an aunt to Elizabeth I.
For this reason, he was hailed at his baptism at Stirling castle as “Little Arthur” and forecasted to be the future king of a unified Britain. Harking back to the legend of King Arthur, the Scottish people had great hopes that James would unite their kingdom with England and return the region to prosperity and peace. The pressure placed on James was further compounded by his mother’s incompetency as queen and her likely role in the death of his father, Darnley. Mary was deposed by the Scottish lords in 1567, and journeyed to England in search of protective custody by the English crown. She was put in prison and executed some twenty years later.
King James VI of Scotland consequently carried the heavy responsibility of bringing a good name back to the Scottish throne. For 35 year he ruled as king of his country in a reign that was widely regarded as a success. Thus when Elizabeth I died childless on March 26, 1603, many, especially nobility, were happy to learn that King James VI of Scotland was the rightful heir. They welcomed the idea of a mature and experienced leader.
B
King James departed Edinburgh for London on April 4, 1603 accompanied by Scottish dukes, earls and lords. The trip could have been made in a matter of days, but he took his time for a couple of reasons. First of all, he wanted to give the English public time to mourn the loss of their queen. Arriving while the funerals and honorariums were still taking place would have been considered disrespectful. Secondly, the king wanted to meet his new people and establish relationships with nobility along the way. This was especially important for him to develop trust with those who would question his motives as Scottish royalty.
King James’ journey took over a month. He and his entourage followed the historic route to London down the east coast through Newcastle, York, and Newark. He was met with feasts, fireworks, and bonfires in villages across the kingdom, and many historians have commented on the extensive costs of that most epic of journeys. This was especially true considering the number of Scottish noblemen who joined the trip with the hopes of gaining the favour of the British crown and increasing both their wealth and stature as a result. Without question, the demographics of the British monarchy shifted dramatically with King James I’s ascension.
C
When he finally arrived in London on May 7, 1603, a huge procession awaited the king. His coronation took place on July 25, 1603 at Westminster Abbey, although public celebrations were delayed until 1604 due to a 1603 plague that killed nearly a quarter of London’s population. The transition of power went smoothly, and Ireland, Scotland and England were untied under the same rule, creating the kingdom of Great Britain. In return for the hospitality he enjoyed from England, the king pardoned prisoners and gave out many knighthoods, many on the advice of Scottish nobles who, according to historical accounts, were bribed for such recommendations.
D
But corruption in the nobility aside, King James I contributed positively to the development of the kingdom and the continuation of the monarchy. Of his accomplishments, he is perhaps most well known today for the commission of the Authorised King James Bible in 1611, an extension of James’ fondness for religiously-themed literature and his Christian devotion. James was also known for his efforts to maintain peace in Europe, even ending the long-running war with Spain in 1604.
There were, however, grievances from several corners. Back in Scotland, his fellow countrymen resented that he only returned once during 22 years of reign, despite a promise to return at least once every three years. In addition, he was unpopular with both protestants and Catholics, although for different reasons. The protestants felt cut off from the king and his power, and the Catholics were angered by unfulfilled promises to give them freedom to practice their religion. These tensions resulted in two failed assassination attempts, but did not deter King James I from continuing to rule until his death in 1625.