The Cradle King: The Life of James VI and I, The First Monarch of a United Great Britain

by Alan Stewart

As the son of Mary Queen of Scots, born into her 'bloody nest', James had the most precarious of childhoods. Even before his birth, his life was threatened: it was rumoured that his father, Henry, had tried to make the pregnant Mary miscarry by forcing her to witness the assassination of her supposed lover, David Riccio. By the time James was one year old, Henry was murdered, possibly with the connivance of Mary; Mary was in exile in England; and James was King of Scotland. By the age of five, he had experienced three different regents as the ancient dynasties of Scotland battled for power and made him a virtual prisoner in Stirling Castle. In fact, James did not set foot outside the confines of Stirling until he was eleven, when he took control of his country. But even with power in his hands, he would never feel safe. For the rest of his life, he would be caught up in bitter struggles between the warring political and religious factions who sought control over his mind and body. Yet James believed passionately in the divine right of kings, as many of his writings testify. He became a seasoned political operator, carefully avoiding controversy, even when his mother Mary was sent to the executioner by Elizabeth I. His caution and politicking won him the English throne on Elizabeth's death in 1603 and he rapidly set about trying to achieve his most ardent ambition: the Union of the two kingdoms. Alan Stewart's impeccably researched new biography makes brilliant use of original sources to bring to life the conversations and the controversies of the Jacobean age. From James's 'inadvised' relationships with a series of favourites and Gentlemen of the Bedchamber to his conflicts with a Parliament which refused to fit its legislation to the Monarch's will, Stewart lucidly untangles the intricacies of James's life. In doing so, he uncovers the extent to which Charles I's downfall was caused by the cracks that appeared in the monarchy during his father's reign.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Scotland, Biography Memoir, Research

448 pages, Hardcover

First published May 27, 2003

About the author

Alan Stewart is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. He is the author of the biographies Philip Sidney: A Double Life and Hostage to Fortune: The Troubled Life of Francis Bacon (with Lisa Jardine)>. He was previously Reader in Renaissance Studies at Birbeck, University of London, and Associate Director of the AHRB Centre for Editing Lives and Letters.

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

James (VI or I, depending on your perspective) was very much a King of two reigns - his first as King of Scotland and his second as King of a somewhat less-than-united England and Scotland. In the same vein this book is very much one of two halves. The first half of the book is almost entirely about events in Scotland; when Elizabeth dies and James becomes King of both England and Scotland the focus almost entirely shifts south and Scotland is scarcely mentioned again. Considering how disruptive and turbulent James' early years in Scotland were, I doubt things suddenly calmed down so dramatically once the King crossed the border, but you wouldn't get any other sense reading this book.

It must be said, when discussing the religious and political changes of the era, both in Scotland, England and Europe as a whole, this book is excellent. But again it falls down when looking at the more personal aspects of James' reign - important events such as the deaths of Prince Henry, Queen Anne and James himself are hardly dealt with, discussed in just a few sentences. I cannot be the only reader who is often more interested in the personal than the political - I realise the two can rarely be separated so easily when talking of monarchs, but this is after all a biography of James, not a history of the Jacobean era.

So an interesting read but overall, a disappointing one. I felt Stewart relied too heavily in places on quoting from original sources; again, I recognise the value of these from an historical perspective, but a little less regurgitation of arcane quotations and a little more analysis or discussion might have been welcome.

[Matthew Welker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid biography on the first Stuart king of England. James VI & I came to the Scottish throne as a baby. He went through a difficult childhood due to the various infighting that occurred in the Scottish kingdom he’d in due time come to rule.

As King of Scotland, I got the sense this is where James started to come into his own. He got a nice marriage with Princess Anne of Denmark. Had children with her. And ruled his kingdom perhaps bring Scotland I’d say some sense of stability. Yet he was due to succeed to the throne of England in the south upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth who had no heir.

So James now took over rule of a 2nd kingdom and from 1603 to his death, would only ever return to Scotland once. James’ rule was well nothing special imo. He didn’t seem to get on well with Parliament especially the commons. He came off ineffectual as a ruler and rather weak. In him you see elements of Edward II & Richard II for those familiar with prior monarchs. Plus with how James went about his rule, I just got the impression he was simply not cut out for this. There’s likely good reason why his son Prince Henry was seemingly more popular & for a spell, Prince Charles.

Yet reading through this biography, you get an ominous sense of what’s to come in the next reign & I felt the seeds of Charle’s reign & Civil War were planted. Which as I got to the end the author excellently explained.

So for biographies on James VI and I this would likely be a good pick. I’m mostly a Yale Monarch series kind of guy, yet they don’t have a book on him or I think the one they have the rights to is old & considered outdated. So this one is more modern and likely the best you’re going to get. And hey, I’d say it’s a good one at that.

[Catherine McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was too hard on the author when I first read this book. It is very good with facts and is well researched. I've really become a fan of James I.

[Michael Bully · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave up on my first reading but tried again and persevered. And very glad that I did. It is a scholarly work, Both the Scottish and then then English politics are complicated and so many people come into the book that east to get lost. But great to get the balance of James VI of Scotland and 1 of England. With James so associated with the Gunpowder Plot, interesting to see that the author does not devote a huge amount of time to this . It is the lesser known aspects of the reign that appear in the book that are so well highlighted such as the mysteries surrounding the Gowrie House Plot of 1600, allegedly to assassinate James. And the influence of James' association with Denmark in shaping the 1590's witch hunts in Scotland. Certainly recommend this book.

[Christopher Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this is very dense and detailed reading, but I really enjoyed the bits about James’s interest in religious affairs, as well as his push to create a united Britain under one crown. While the latter was unsuccessful in his lifetime, it was very interesting to read about the various issues that arose with Parliament - and the differences between the Scots and the English.

[Taylor K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of the Stuart kings of both England and Scotland. A man who wanted to be remembered as an English Solomon, but who, in the words of the author, “remains an infant, an innocent for whom the harsh realities of kingship are still unimaginable.”

[Lily Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a loser.
This book is amazingly written and very emotive but oh my goodness was James the First a little bitch.

[mon · Rating 4 out of 5]

he was a man she hexed his ship can history make it any more obvious

[Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cradle King is an academic study of James Vi and I of England - the first monarch of a United Great Britain. In many spots, the book is incredibly informative and entertaining but I found that some of the chapters were a bit ponderous. The sections involving religion were important to the historical narrative but I felt that they were written with less flair than the political intrigues covered. Overall, I would recommend this book to someone with an intense interest in British history but it might be a little too slow for the casual reader. Enjoy!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely detailed biography of King James (Scotland/England). A man whose father died in an explosion and whose mother was locked up by Queen Elizabeth I for many years and eventually executed for treason against that same monarch. This was a king raised by men and during a time of turbulence and violence in Scotland. Warring factions battled for control of both the country and himself. Nearly everything you would ever need to know about him is in this book but I had to force myself to finish it because it was so long and dry.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A gift from my cooperating teacher and my students.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough biography of a compelling, often puzzling character.

[The Master · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid.

[Lezley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into James I. For background a good complementary read is "After Elizabeth..." by Leanda de lisle.

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fine recitation of facts, but doesn't do a great job describing the times James live in.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful detailed book, enjoyable read with interesting facts.