The Character of James VI & I

THE CHARACTER OF JAMES VI & I

King James VI of Scotland & I of England was handicapped from birth with weak limbs and therefore injured himself many times. This also caused him to have an unsteady walk. He later suffered crippling arthritis. To compensate for this King James VI & I often leaned on his most trusted councilors and friends which also happened to be members of his personal staff.

As a result, he was claimed by some to be homosexual but the rumours have proved unfounded. These misinformed sources, virtually without exception, fail to mention that King James and his Queen had nine children together.

King James VI & I made many enemies, largely having to deal and overcome outright racism against his home of birth, Scotland. He had to face hostile people such as Sir Anthony Weldon. Weldon was knighted by the King but was subsequently dismissed after King James found racist writings by Weldon about Scotland. Weldon stated that the Scots are a, "stinking people," and that, "to be chained in marriage with one of them, were to be tied to a dead carcass, and cast into a stinking ditch." King James held the Roman Catholic religion in contempt, and Roman clerics tried to kill him more than once

There is little doubt that King James was a highly intelligent man. A man who loved literature and the theatre loved, James became a writer of some note, both in poetry and in prose. He was shrewd and diplomatic in his dealings with nobles and churchmen. However, James was an extravagant character who spent money at an alarming rate. He lavished gifts and money on his 'favourites', bringing debt upon the country.

However, despite his detractors, King James the VI and I was a highly successful King.