The Sun Rising: King James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain, 1603-1625

by Anna Whitelock

A gripping and thought-provoking account of the reign of King James I, who united Britain and made English the global power we know today.

The British monarchy of today descends directly from one King James I, whose huge--and much overlooked--influence launched England as a major international trade power, established the King James Bible, and united the royal families of Scotland and England under one house and one monarch.

Along with his wife, Anna of Denmark, and his children--Henry, Elizabeth, and Charles--James sought to broker agreements between the warring Catholic and Protestant princes in Europe and establish an era of peace. Instead, James set the groundwork for his children to grow up and champion a militant Protestantism that plunged the entire continent into religious war.

At his ascension, England was economically behind, but James's global ambitions began to shift the As ships departed London for America, Russia, Persia, India, and Japan, the fledgling East India Company began to intertwine ever closer with the crown.

And James himself was dogged by scandal, his court famously reputed for vice and venality. But James' court was also rich in art, drama, and literature. Shakespeare's King Lear and Macbeth--said to have been inspired by James himself--were both first performed at the Jacobean court.

Set across England and the Continent, over the course of twenty years--beginning with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 and the ascension of James I and ending in 1625 with Charles I becoming king--The Sun Rising presents a rich and compelling portrait of the royal family and a story of dynastic power politics, which ultimately and viciously split Europe.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook

448 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2025

About the author

Anna Whitelock gained her PhD in History from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 2004 with a thesis on the court of Mary I. Her articles and book reviews on various aspects of Tudor history have appeared in publications including the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement and BBC History. She has taught at Cambridge University and is now a lecturer in Early Modern History at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Reviews

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful true historical fact of history on King James of Britain! All of King James’ achievements…nations he brought together, the King James Version Bible brought about for the people through him, so much he achieved! It took me a while to read. It was a big book for me, but it was a great read! I would love to have it in my library at home! If you’re a history buff this is the book for you! Thank you #NetGalley , publishers, and author for the ARC #TheSunRising and the opportunity to read and review with my honest thoughts. Must Read!

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book as a project had so much potential. On many counts, it did not reach that potential. On her own terms, though, Whitelock has probably succeeded. In the introduction, she states that The Sun Rising is intended to provoke similar works on global perspectives of James and his reign. By this criterion, Whitelock has been successful. The Sun Rising is an interesting read and is a work of great contextualisation. Along those lines, it will be a very useful work as a point of reference. I can’t help but feel slightly underwhelmed at it though. It seems that, in her lines of argument and enquiry, Whitelock established many threads but leaves them loose with a somewhat puzzling conclusion. Particular highlights were the chapters on the Virginia Company and Plymouth Plantation. There is little referring back to European contexts and developments regarding the consequences of the first two parts of this book. Indeed, part 3 does refer to the European landscape but only on its own terms and a political narrative of the Thirty Years War which is already familiar. Globalised it ain’t! What really bugged me in the conclusion was James being classified as a supporting character, in favour of entrepreneurs. Yet, throughout the book he is an active force. There’s no acknowledgment of the subtlety of royal image and kingship in the early modern period. Admittedly, James may not have boarded the Mayflower himself or sailed to Persia to kiss hands in the pursuit of cheap silk. Yet, his image and his figure were omnipresent as ways of introducing the British throughout the world in this narrative. It was to him that the Indonesians pledged fealty on Pulo Run. It was under his charter that these companies operated. He was an essential figurehead for the political, diplomatic, and economic ventures of the explorers of the Jacobean period. In that, he was not supporting but essential as a point of reference and a conveyor of authority. Taken on the political terms of the early modern period, which I would argue are the best criteria to evaluate and argue against, James was anything but a supporting figure. This judgement I have reached using the evidence Whitelock presents. I can’t help but feel as if it is not a coherent product nor does the analysis shape up to do justice to the commendable research she has clearly undertaken in preparing this book. I hope this book - somewhat deflating yet still interesting - acts as a spur for future scholarship on a global Jacobean political scale. Particularly with regard to image fashioning. In that, Whitelock has done the scholarship a great service which deserves to be recognised.

[History Today]

Given the decades-long saturation of Tudor-era popular history, it is welcome that attention seems to be shifting to the Stuarts, studies of whom have begun to make their presence felt in popular nonfiction. Anna Whitelock’s The Sun Rising: James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain is among a slew of new books on James to appear in the year which marks the 400th anniversary of his death.

Whitelock’s book is not a biographical study of the first Stuart king of England. It eschews discussion of his much-storied personal life (with George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, mentioned only when relevant and Robert Carr, earl of Somerset, not at all). Although broadly chronological, The Sun Rising comprises a series of thematic chapters covering what was a ‘golden age’ of exploration, navigation, trade, and propaganda, beginning with James’ accession to the English throne in 1603. This presents hazards: the nearly four decades covering James’ life and reign in Scotland are only briefly outlined. This leads to some issues with Scottish history: Linlithgow Palace becomes Linlithgow Castle, the duke of Lennox is demoted to an earl, and, although Queen Anna is treated fairly, some questionable old ideas are propagated, notably that she and James ‘grew apart’ in their later years; if anything, the pair came closer together in commiseration over shared illnesses. Whitelock’s focus is on the politics of the period 1603-25, when Anglo-Spanish peace prevailed, and international trade increased accordingly. What emerges is a much-needed panoramic view of Jacobean Britain as it was projected across the globe.

Read the rest of the review at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/...

Steven Veerapen teaches at Strathclyde University and writes on the 16th century.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sun Rising is a highly engaging and accessible introduction to the reign of King James I. The book does an excellent job of making the start of the Stuart dynasty approachable, especially for readers new to the topic. The narrative is engaging, and it’s easy to settle into the book’s flow.

However, the author’s central thesis that James I was the pioneer of a global Britain doesn’t fully hold up under scrutiny. While James played a significant role, the book sometimes overlooks the fact that many of the global foundations were laid during Elizabeth I’s reign. James’s role, while significant, was often more passive and influenced by his lineage rather than his direct actions. Granted his passivity in certain areas was often a deliberate choice rather than a lack of ability or interest. In many cases, James reacted to events around him rather than driving them forward. This means that while he played a significant role in uniting the kingdoms, much of Britain's expansion was rooted in the groundwork not done by him.

Furthermore, since the book covers the period broadly, it sometimes misses deeper insights into James’s personal influences and the complexities of his reign. For example, it largely overlooks his deep relationships with favorites like Buckingham, whose influence shaped not only domestic policies like granting monopolies and altering property dynamics but also influenced foreign affairs.

Overall, I found that while a lively read, the book fails to quite prove its own argument that James was the catalyst for Britain’s global expansion.

[Steve Courson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written but could have used better editing. There are several themes including James I attempting to build a sericulture industry in England, Scotland and Jamestown in America. Silk was a big deal and great efforts were made by the East India Company to find sources in India, Japan, China and Persia. These attempts have their own chapters so evidently silk was a big deal. It would have been a bigger deal if King James was a war monger and needed the funds. But he was peace loving though creating new industries was still a big deal because the nation was broke and no one wanted English broadcloth when they could wear silk. There is a lot covered, including the King James Bible, Thirty Years War, Jamestown and Plymouth colonies and much more in 335 pages. It’s a good overview of the geopolitics of Jacobean England but rarely touches James the man. Most of what happened during this period was done by the East India Company, the Virginia Company and individuals not named James. I recommend this book for its great overview of the period. There’s a wonderful amount of interesting trivia as a bonus.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Stuart king of England is finally beginning to get his due. After years bogged down in Tudor drama, historians are turning their attention to the next royals, with multiple biographies of James I publishing this year. First up is Whitelock's study of James through his impact on British identity and expansion. The beginning of his reign in England saw a peace with Spain that allowed shipping to turn from war to trade and travel. Whitelock examines the different results this caused, from trade in the east to colonies in the west. She also examines James's desire for peace and unity in Christendom, his determination to stay out of war versus what his Parliament and people wanted. This is not a traditional biography of the king - he disappears for multiple chapters - but a look at how his determination to unite his realms into one Great Britain had a knock on effect that dominoed across the world.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the reign of Elizabeth, England had become more insular. Elizabeth was more concerned with protecting her realm than with dealing with world powers. However on the accession of James, the situation changed. Here Whitelock looks at the reign of James from the perspective of how England's relationships with its neighbours developed and how the new nation of Britain became more of a global player.
I really enjoyed this book as, although it does describe all the pomp and ceremony, it doesn't focus on King and Court to the extent that other accounts of this time do. In fact it portrays James as a more forward-thinking monarch than many have assumed him to be.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

King James I united the crowns of Scotland and England and propelled England into global trade—but his reign was also marked by scandal and the seeds of future religious conflict. This book explores the complexities of his reign, highlighting his lasting impact on the monarchy, international relations, and the arts.

This interesting and informative biography of James I, after he was crowned King of England, focuses on the rise of globalization. The book is concise, engaging, and easy to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Marg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly engrossing

I'm not a student of history but I found this book entertaining as well as informative. James' reign was a time of great change - much-expanded trade, widespread rejectionof catholicism, increasing use of the term Britain and the development of settlements on the east coast of what became the USA. The account of Charles and friend travelling to Spain incognito was astonishing.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s the history of an interesting period. The world was getting more modern and capitalist. James did a great job of getting the English to accept him and. Keeping Europe peaceful. Until the defenestration of Prague, of course. But . . . for somehow reason, it made me fall asleep. Almost every chapter. So, I recommend it, but the writing is a bit soporific.

[Lou Chodosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatly added to my understanding of British history. Explains James ‘ role in the development of the British empire; with excellent information on the beginning of the English colonies in North America. Very glad to have read it, and recommend it to anyone interested in British history.

[M Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book about the beginnings of the global dominance of England. It is heavily detailed, which bogged me down a bit. Not everyone will agree on that. I recommend this for anyone interested in this era.

[James Galileo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read if you want to be introduced to the beginning of the British Empire.

[Kaitlyn Ragsdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not off to a good start… page 19 says “succjeed” rather than succeed. Trying really hard to stay engaged, but I’m having a hard time doing so.