King James VI

James VI became King of Scotland in 1567 when thirteen months old and when Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch of England, died without an heir in 1603, he became King James I of England and Ireland, aged thirty six. He was a popular monarch despite some quirks and ruled for twenty two years, a period known as the Jacobean era.

James persecuted witches and wrote a book on Demonology.  He survived plots to remove him, as well as the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up London’s Parliament House. He imposed harsh controls on Catholics, passing legislation that compelled them to deny the authority of the Pope over the king. He later watered this down when he realised he might need catholic support.  In 1611 a new translation of the bible was commissioned which became known as the King James Version (KJV).  He had seven children, though only two survived. He died of a stroke in 1625 and was widely mourned.