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Cradle King: The Life of James VI and I, the First Monarch of a United Great Britain
Cradle King: The Life of James VI and I, the First Monarch of a United Great Britain | Alan Stewart
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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 rumored that his father, Henry, had tried to make the pregnant Mary miscarraige by forcing her to witness the assasination of her supposed lover, David Riccio. By the time James was a one-year-old, Henry was murdered, possibly with the connivance of his mother, Mary was in exile in England and he 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 the country. But even with power in his hands, he would never feel safe. For the rest of his life, he could be caught up in bitter struggles between the warring political and religious factions who fought for control over his mind and body.
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I found this bio pretty fascinating -- by which I mean I could barely put it down even while trying to meet a work deadline. James VI and I was a terrible husband, an indifferent father, & a fickle, feckless romantic companion to several men (although he did enrich & elevate his favorites). His reign wasn't a disaster, but he wasn't a great king & it's easy to see how it opened cracks that led to the English Revolution only a few years later.

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I might not ever actually read this one (!!), but look at that cover image! What kind of a life did that kid live?? Son of Mary Queen of Scots, #MarysBoyChild James had a ‘precarious‘ childhood. King of Scotland by the age of one, he eventually took over the English throne from Elizabeth I.

#winterwonderland

TrishB He certainly had an eventful life!! 6y
iread2much And did a horrible bible translation... 6y
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