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

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The Parable of the Good Samaritan .... Strong's Concordance (1986) compared six different versions of the parable in King James, Revised Standard Version, and others, with very little difference .... (2465 10 )

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racists of the time of who there were many in number. Long after his demise many opposed to James' rule by virtue of his origins continued to undermine his good name. James also suffered from a variety of ailments and numerous plots against his life. Because of this he required a good deal of protection from those close to him. He suffered in health from "crippling arthritis, weak limbs, abdominal colic, gout, and a number of other chronic illnesses" (Facts 1). The King was also physically handicapped, affected in the movement of his legs and the workings of his tongue. There were many plots against James' life. His son, Prince Henry, would not live to take the throne. One of the most famous plots against the life of the King and those closest to him politically was the infamous and failed gunpowder plot. James referred to the plot as a "thundering sin of fire and brimstone" in his speech to Parliament after surviving the failed assassination attempt. However, despite his indignation and religious conviction that those who attempted the plot were sinners, in the same speech to Parliament we see James make an appeal for those closest to him or in sympathy with him not to hold the actions of a few against an entire grou

Category: Literature - K