James VI

James VI of Scotland, who later became James I of England and Ireland, reigned over Scotland from 1567 and over England and Ireland from 1603 until his death in 1625. Ascending the Scottish throne as an infant after the abdication of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, his early years in Scotland were marked by regencies, religious upheavals, and political intrigues. A proponent of the divine right of kings, James sought to centralize power and foster closer ties between Scotland and England. His peaceful accession to the English throne in 1603 united the crowns of Scotland and England, a personal union that paved the way for the eventual political union of the two nations in 1707. As the first monarch to rule both kingdoms, James faced challenges like the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 but also contributed to culture with the commissioning of the King James Bible in 1611. His reign, while marked by efforts at centralized governance and peace abroad, also sowed seeds of dissent, particularly in his relations with Parliament, which would come to a head during the reign of his son, Charles I.