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James VI and I Facts & Worksheets

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James VI of Scotland and I of England was the first king of England and Scotland. He was named James VI of Scotland in 1567 and James I of England and Ireland from 1603 until he died in 1625.  Below are some more facts and information on James IV and I or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

EARLY AND PERSONAL LIFE

  • King James, I was born on June 19, 1566, at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. His parents were Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley. On December 17, 1566, he was baptised as James Charles at Stirling Castle. Among his godparents were Charles IX of France and Elizabeth I of England. James was a great-great-grandson of Henry VII of England through Margaret Tudor. 
  • On February 10, 1567, Lord Darnley was murdered. As a result, James inherited the titles Duke of Albany and Earl of Ross. On May 15, 1567, Mary was remarried to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. In July, Protestant rebels imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots, in Loch Leven Castle and forced her to abdicate the throne in favor of his son, James. 
  • Following the religious atmosphere of the time, he was brought up as a Scottish Presbyterian, though his mother had been a Roman Catholic.
  • He was tutored by George Buchanan, Peter Young, David Erskine, and Adam Erskine. 
  • In 1568, his mother Mary escaped from Loch Leven Castle and fled to England, where she was kept and executed under Elizabeth I. 
  • The young king was kept fairly isolated but was given a good education until he was 14. He studied Greek, French, and Latin and made good use of a library of classical and religious writings that his tutors, George Buchanan and Peter Young, assembled for him.
  • James was married to Anne Oldenburg of Denmark on November 23, 1589. Anne was the daughter of Frederick II, King of Denmark and Sophia von Mecklenburg-Gustrow. She gave birth to their first son Prince Henry in 1594.
  • They had quite a large family, with seven children, but only three survived: Henry, Prince of Wales, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, and Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
  • Their eldest son Henry died aged 18 of typhoid, and their 2nd son Charles became King Charles I. The marriage of their daughter Elizabeth to Frederick V, Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia, resulted in the eventual Hanoverian succession to the British throne.

AS KING OF SCOTLAND

  • On July 29, 1567, at the age of 13 months, James was anointed king of Scotland. As a minor king, Scotland was governed by four different regents before James’ complete control in 1583.
  • James VI’s rule of Scotland was basically successful. He limited the power of the nobility, although his attempts to limit the authority of the Kirk (Church of Scotland) were less successful.
  • In 1586, James VI signed a league of amity or the Treaty of Berwick with England. In 1588, James assured his support of Elizabeth I against the Spanish, and these events somehow secured the Scottish king’s succession to the English throne.
  • James was considered to be an intellectual and wrote several books. A book on witchcraft came about after his return from Kronborg, where his marriage to Anne took place. This book resulted from his attendance at the North Berwick witch trials, the first significant persecution of witches in Scotland under the Witchcraft Act of 1563.
  • In 1597, James VI published Daemonologie, which opposed witchcraft. 
  • Another interesting writing was The True Law of Free Monarchies, in which he states that “the sovereign succeeds to his kingdom by right from God.” He believed that subjects owe absolute obedience and that his rights as sovereign could not be attacked or limited. Though he believed in the divine right of kings, his Parliament most definitely did not.
  • Also written by James VI, Basilikon Doron provided Prince Henry with a practical guide to kingship. He also authorized a translation of the Bible, now known as the King James Version, published in 1611.

AS KING OF ENGLAND

  • When Elizabeth I of England died in 1603 unmarried, James moved to London and was crowned King James I of England on July 25, 1603, at Westminster Abbey. He was the first of the Stuart kings of the combined crowns of England and Scotland.
  • The two kingdoms were now united under one crown. However, they were, in fact, two separate kingdoms, each with its own legislatures and own administrative bodies. Being under one crown, they could not go to war with each other, they could not take opposing sides in foreign wars, and they could not make any hostile agreements.
  • James I survived the Bye Plot and Main Plot during the first year of his rule. In addition to Elizabeth I’s original Privy Councillors, James I added Scottish nobles, including Henry and Thomas Howard. 
  • Guy Fawkes’ and his co-conspirators attempted to blow up Parliament in 1605, which produced an anti-Catholic reaction that gave James temporary popularity. However, this soon dissipated. After the Gunpowder Plot, the Parliament passed the Popish Recusants Act in 1606, which required all citizens to take an Oath of Allegiance to the king. 
  • James dissolved the English Parliament on February 8, 1622, following a dispute involving parliamentary criticisms of a marriage proposed by James between his son Charles, Prince of Wales and Princess Maria Anna of Spain.
  • His foreign policy was aimed primarily at achieving closer relations with Spain, but this was not liked by Parliament, who saw Spain as the Old Catholic enemy of the Armada and a competitor for world trade.
  • As king of England, James I supported Sir Walter Raleigh in searching for gold in South America. However, Raleigh’s failed expedition cost him his life. 
  • The East India Company expanded trade during his reign, bringing spices from the East, and Jamestown was founded in Virginia.
  • He was a supporter of literature and arts. William Shakespeare was among the ‘King’s Men’ troupe of actors who performed plays for their patron James.
  • During his reign, the English colonization of North America began with the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 and the Plantation of Ulster in Ireland. 

DEATH AND LEGACY

  •  James suffered from gout, kidney stones, and arthritis in the last year of his life. 
  • On March 27, 1625, he died at Theobalds House after suffering from a stroke. His remains lie in the Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey.
  • For 23 years, under his personal rule, James was the king of Scotland, England, and Ireland. The Union of the Crowns characterized the Jacobean era, and James advocated a single parliament for Scotland and England. 
  • At 57 years, James VI was the longest-reigning Scottish monarch. 
  • As king of England, James continued Elizabeth I’s Golden Age. He was a known supporter of Francis Bacon, William Shakespeare, John Donne, and Ben Jonson. 
  • According to anti-Stuart historians, James I’s political absolutism was the foundation of the English Civil War, which later resulted in the execution of his son Charles I and the abolition of the monarchy.

James VI and I Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use James VI and I Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about James VI of Scotland who was the first king of both England and Scotland. He also held the title of King of France, as had all his predecessors on the English throne since October 21, 1422, although by his time the title didn’t come with an active claim of this throne.

Download includes the following worksheets:

  • James VI and I Facts
  • About James
  • The Crown
  • Jacobean Era
  • From Tudor to Stuart
  • The Name, James
  • James and Witches
  • Under One Crown
  • Plots and Plots
  • James’ Accession
  • Curious About

Frequently Ask Questions

What is King James I well known for?

King James I is famous for his books and persecution of witches, the Gunpowder Plot, his personal rule of the kingdoms of Scotland and England, and the King James Bible. 

Was James I a good king?

In his 23-year rule of England, James I was a relatively successful king. In England, he survived numerous plots against him. Under his personal rule, he successfully united Scotland and England. James was also able to keep England out of the Thirty Years’ War. 

What happened to the son of Mary, Queen of Scots?

The son of Mary, Queen of Scots became James VI of Scotland and I of England and Ireland. 

Who reigned after James VI of Scotland?

When James I died in 1625, he was succeeded by his second son, Charles I. 

Why did James succeed Elizabeth?

James was the closest royal relative of Queen Elizabeth I of England, who died childless in 1603. James was the great-great-grandson of Henry VII through Margaret Tudor. 

 

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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