James Vi And I: King of Scotland (1566–1625), England and Ireland (1603–25)

He was the first monarch to be called the king of Great Britain. He ruled in Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 until his death and he ruled in England and Scotland from 24 March 1603 until his death. He became king of Scotland as a baby when his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, had to abdicate.

James VI & I
King of Scotland,England and Ireland
James I of England by Daniel Mytens
King of England and Ireland (more...)
Reign	24 March 1603 – 27 March 1625
Coronation	25 July 1603
Predecessor	Elizabeth I
Successor	Charles I
King of Scotland (more...)
Reign	24 July 1567 – 27 March 1625
Coronation	29 July 1567
Predecessor	Mary
Successor	Charles I
Regents	James Stewart, Earl of Moray (1567–1570) Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox (1570–1571) John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1571–1572) James Douglas, Earl of Morton (1572–1581)
Born	James Stuart of Edinburgh 19 June 1566 Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	27 March 1625 (aged 58) (NS: 6 April 1625) Theobalds House, Hertfordshire, England
Burial	7 May 1625 Westminster Abbey
Spouse	Anne of Denmark (m. 1589; died 1619)
Issue detail...	Henry, Prince of Wales Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia Margaret Charles I Robert Mary Sophia
House	Stuart
Father	Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Mother	Mary, Queen of Scots
Signature

His reign was important because it was the first time 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. She had died without any children, so the English agreed to have a Scottish monarch because James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, thus the closest relative Elizabeth had. By being king of both, he created a personal union, the Union of the Crowns.

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

James was very well educated and good at learning. He helped people in England and in Scotland to 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 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, where many people decide to celebrate and light bonfires and fireworks.

James believed in witchcraft. When he read The Discoverie of Witchcraft, he ordered all copies of the book to be burnt. The king had an importance with the first English settlers.

The first permanent English established settlement in North America was made under the charter granted by James to Sir Thomas Gates and other in 1606. In march 27th, 1625, James suffered a stroke while hunting at his favorite lodge, he died in his bed a few hours later.