Today marks four hundred years since the death of James I of England and VI of Scotland. Despite his importance in British history, his life is often reduced to his mother – Mary, Queen of Scots – and the Gunpowder Plot. Yet acclaimed historian Clare Jackson argues that he was much more accomplished than is remembered.
On the show today, she and Aaron discuss:
* The importance of James’ early reign in Scotland
* His skill in managing the peaceful succession to the Tudors
* Why he believed divine right of kings was compatible with diplomacy and religious toleration
They also touch on James’ complex sexuality, the Stuarts’ sudden popularity in films and on TV, and why their conflicts with Parliament are relevant to Donald Trump…
If you want to pre-order Clare’s forthcoming biography of James – The Mirror of Great Britain – visit the Penguin site here
If you would like buy her book Devil-Land: England Under Siege, visit the strategyaaron Bookshop page: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/strategyaaron
Other links:
Clare’s site
Strategyaaron is also now on YouTube! Visit the channel here
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