Create a new account

It's simple, and free.

King James I

James I of England and VI of Scotland was born in 1566. The following year his mother, Queen of the Scots, was deposed by Scottish lords. James faced many difficulties during his reign based on his opposition to Roman Catholics and the fact that many in England despised him for his Scottish origins. Despite such difficulties, James I and VI is generally considered one of the greatest literary and educational influences on England with respect to monarchs. We will examine his life, his rule, and his writings in order to glean a deeper understanding of how his writings reinforced and validated his rule.

The life, reign and writings of King James I of England and VI of Scotland represent a colorful existence and rule. James’ mother was Mary, Queen of Scots, imprisoned and eventually executed by Queen Elizabeth I of England. During his early years, James became interested in reading and learning under a variety of tutors. Most notably he learned under the auspices of poet, dramatist and humanist George Buchanan. While James bristled under the strict tutelage of Buchanan, the tutor did provide him with a basis for his political theories – most notably the theory of Divine Right Kingship.

Another tutor of the youthful James was Peter Young. Young was good natured and welcomed by James in contrast to the overbearing methods of Buchanan. Young developed an interest in poetry in the young James, bolstered by James’ discovery of his mother’s library of French verse and romances. James came to genuinely enjoy learning and writing. He enjoyed the arts, particularly plays and the masque, and he wrote many works. His first book was entitled The Essays of a Prentice in the Divine Art of Poesy. However, despite James’ genuine affection for the poetic arts, he also recognized that he could use writing – even poetry – as a means of propaganda for his own political agenda. While James would write works devoted to politi...

Page 1 of 8 Next >

More on King James I...

Loading...
APA     MLA     Chicago
King James I. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 11:46, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1685807.html