James I
James I (1566-1625). King of Britain and Ireland from 1603 and, as James VI, king of Scotland from 1567. He succeeded to the Scottish throne in infancy on the abdication of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. On the death of Elizabeth I (1603) he became the first Stuart king of England. He was generally unpopular with Parliament for his belief in the divine right of kings, his tendency to leave policy-making to his favourites, and his schemes for an alliance with Spain. An accomplished scholar, he wrote a book against smoking called A Counterblast to Tobacco. One of the major achievements of his reign was the Authorized Version of the Bible (1611).
