The Making of the Jacobean Regime: James VI and I and the Government of England, 1603-1605 (Royal Historical Society Studies in History New Series) [Hardcover]

Diana Newton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0861932722 | ISBN-13: 978-0861932726

Despite the recent scholarship rehabilitating the reputation of James VI and I, the BBC's recent dramatization of the early years of his English reign, which reverted to the traditional view of the king, makes it plain that there is still much to be done. This book concentrates on James VI and I's early years as king of England. Adopting a holistic approach, it complements existing work by examining those years in the round, rather than focusing on the usual highlights, such as the Hampton Court Conference and the Gunpowder Plot. In doing so, it shows how circumstances and events immediately after his accession were crucial to shaping his approach to ruling England, and makes it possible to get much closer to understanding his reign in England, thereafter. It draws on English and Scottish sources, both governmental and ecclesiastical, and uses central and local records extensively, to illustrate how he managed the Elizabethan legacy he inherited, by reference to his Scottish experience. Thus he supervised foreign policy, finance, local government and religious policy, whilst simultaneously ruling Scotland as an absentee monarch. Initial misunderstandings by the king, and of the king, subsided remarkably quickly as, by and large, he proved himself to be a king of real political sagacity and acumen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Diana Newton's careful study of the early years of King James VI and I's reign in England throws considerable light on his policies, methods of governing, and temperament. THE JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIESA careful, compact and balanced study. (...)Provides a detailed and well-balanced account of a crucial and neglected bit of early Stuart history. SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY NEWS

Product Details

• Hardcover: 174 pages
• Publisher: Royal Historical Society (March 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0861932722
• ISBN-13: 978-0861932726
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,969,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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