James VI and I

King James holds a unique place in British history, being the first monarch to be King of both Scotland and England. As a result of this unprecedented situation, he was compelled to pursue a set of highly distinctive policies in order to balance the often competing needs of the two countries, whilst also trying to promote a broader, British, interest. It was perhaps as a result of this, that James VI and I was an exceptional, expressing his ideas and aspirations by means of print, pen, and spoken word to an unparalleled degree. Herein lies much of the fascination of his reign, which is reflected in this volume. The book is divided into four main sections, each exploring a major theme of particular concern to James: the union of England and Scotland; the government of Scotland; religious unity; and James' involvement in culture as both author and patron. The essays address James' ideas at various levels: conception, representation, propagation and implementation. In so doing, the volume examines more fully aspects of James' objectives in these four key areas, helping to explain why some of them encountered opposition, and to evaluate the extent of his success in putting them into practice. This volume throws fresh light on the ways in which James communicated his ideas and designs to his subjects, and important foreign audiences, raising important questions about his judgement and skill as a monarch.