James I: The Phoenix King

by Thomas Cogswell

Thomas Cogswell's dramatic new biography brings James to life as a complex, learned, curious man and a great survivor, one who drastically changed court life in London and presided over the Authorized Version of the Bible and the establishment of English settlements across the globe. Cogswell tells the story of James's personal life and private passions as much as his public achievements. James was often accused of being too informal and insufficiently regal—but when his son, Charles I, decided to redress these criticisms in his own reign, he was destroyed. This is a vivid portrait of an often underappreciated monarch.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Scotland, Royalty

109 pages, Hardcover

First published December 7, 2017

Reviews

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining contributions to the Penguin Monarchs series as James I had strong opinions on a variety of topics and the author's goal is to present the king's life and reign in his own words as much as possible. Cogswell presents James I's strong personality and wide variety of interests, which blended ideas that were ahead of his time (the health risks of tobacco) and ideas that were already being questioned in his own time (witchcraft trials). I would have been interested to read more about the culture of his court as this was a time when Shakespeare and Donne were writing their masterworks. I also though there was a little too much time spent on James I's love of hunting and dogs (he nicknamed one of his ministers "Beagle" and that was likely a compliment!) Overall, an engaging and informative read.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
Short concise and interesting

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Penguin series of British monarchs, this is the story of the first Stuart king of England. When James ascended to the throne he united England and Scotland and attempted to forge a union of peace. He was known for his lavish lifestyle and love of younger men. I enjoy these brief histories as they give you an overview so you know if you want to delve deeper into a topic.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise and informative book. Provides a good overview of the life and reign of James VI and I and lots of further reading suggestions. I will certainly seek out further books in this series - specifically the Stuart era.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short history of monarch I knew very little about. Just the job.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good short introduction to James I, written with humour and a certain amount of understanding toward the king that is often missing from biographies of him. However, it focuses entirely on a narrative account and is very short on analysis.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

James I: The Phoenix King is a brief, concise biography of a woefully overlooked king. Cogswell makes plain that James was a survivor, but this is even more remarkable when viewed through the lens of Scottish history: not only was James the country's third infant monarch in a row, but the last six generations of Scottish monarchs had met brutal and tragic ends (the only one who didn't die from an act of violence was James V, who died from some combination of fever and mental breakdown at the age of 30). James was the first Scottish monarch in over a century to die, middle-aged, from natural causes. (Sadly, he did not permanently break the Stuarts' curse: his son, Charles I, was executed at the end of the English Civil War).

James' adaptability, intellect, and drive allowed him to rise above the fractious Scottish politics that had subsumed his mother and grandfather. But his real talent was his ability to navigate the competing religious factions that were tearing apart all of Britain (more so than Elizabeth, who relied on brute force to quell Catholics). In this respect, he was the right person to be ruling at the right time. James' subjects weren't quite sure what his religion was--nor, for that matter, were many historians--and that was largely by design. Keeping the various Christians faiths from each others throats--and their knives from the king's back--required a unique finesse, as Charles would sadly learn much later.

James also had a penchant for avoiding war, even when his son and paramour were urging him to take up arms. This is an attribute that is arguably more admired now than it would have been in the seventeenth century, although most commoners appear to have been glad to avoid another lengthy foreign war. The disdain King James I received from his contemporaries seems to have been based on his Scottish roots, his introversion, and his sexuality (James was all but certainly gay). But if the worst thing someone can say about a ruler is that he spent too much time hunting and wasn't the best with money, then his reign left little to be desired.

[Boar's Head Eastcheap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Cogswell's biography is recognisably one of the Penguin Monarchs series.

That means it's concise and informative; a good general introduction to the king who succeeded Elizabeth. For those studying Shakespeare or the Early Modern period, the information about James' early life is useful and potentially revealing. It's also often neglected. News, or 'Newes' from Scotland will have been relatively easily available during the three decades or so that he ruled (to varying degrees) in stead of his Mother - Mary, Queen of Scots. Comparisons to Elizabeth will have been inevitable, and it's plausible that his personality and behaviours were caricatured and held up for inspection in London's theatres.

Cogswell's work seemed more sympathetic to James than the detachment shown by others in the series, such as by Helen Castor in her work on Elizabeth. Perhaps he feels the need to balance the popular view of James. For the opposite, almost comically scornful view, try Thomas Babington Macaulay's portrait in his 'History of England'.

A good buy.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid entry in the Penguin Monarchs series. Well researched, elegantly and evocatively written, and showing appropriate caution in areas of scholarly contention (what, exactly, was the precise nature of James’s relationships with the various male favorites with whom he consistently surrounded himself from childhood onward?) and charity in matters where James has often been dismissed or outright condemned (his refusal to commit large numbers of English troops to support his am daughter and son-in-law in the ongoing wars in the Palatinate in the Holy Roman Empire, a wise choice in retrospect).

I’ve been passingly familiar with James VI and I since childhood—thanks to what is probably his most widespread legacy, the “King James Bible,” the standardized translation he authorized as head of the Church of England—but Cogswell’s short, nicely organized bio has given me an appreciation of the man I never expected.

Highly recommended, though those already familiar with some of the context of Tudor and Stuart Britain will probably get more out of it.

[Ricky Balas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the concept of this series and I find the amount of information provided (roughly 100 pages) is a good introduction for readers wanting to simply learn something new. As for James, it seems one of his greatest achievements was keeping the wildlife population on the island in check. Just about every other page references his love for the hunt.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting biography of King James I who I previously had known little about.

This biography helped me to understand the king better, even if my feelings towards him are still rather ambivalent.

This understanding is thanks to Cogswell's engaging and informative writing style, which I have very much enjoyed.

[Abel Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief but well-written, a broadly sympathetic portrait of James.

[Adina Stene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good introduction to James I and his reign! A short biography that's worth reading. It covers all the main events of James' reign in England.

[Susanna Robertson-Sheath · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite dull. I may enjoy it more upon second or third readings.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written and well-researched introduction to the life of James l. A good place to start if one knows nothing about his life.

[Mr John W Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

survivor king

We’ll set out. No mention of KJTS Bible or increasing catholic persecution . Modern insight into James . Was a survivor

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct and readable. Great overview with some fascinating nuggets. A good starter / refresher before you delve more deeply into the early Stuart period.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admirably brief and very descriptive. I learnt a lot and enjoyed this slim volume.