King James VI of Scotland

Definition

King James VI of Scotland (1567-1625) was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. He became king at a young age and ruled for 58 years. He is best known for succeeding Elizabeth I to become James I of England in 1603, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland.

Analogy

Think about your school merging with another one across town. You've been elected as the student body president for both schools. That's kind of what happened when King James VI became also King James I - he was ruling two separate entities that were now united under one leadership.

Related terms

Stuart Dynasty: The Stuart dynasty refers to the royal house that ruled over Scotland from 1371 and England from 1603 to 1714, which includes King James VI/I.

Union of Crowns: This term refers to the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England in 1603. This event united both kingdoms under a single monarch.

Jacobean Era: This term refers to the period in English and Scottish history during the reigns of James I/VI (1567–1625). It's named after Jacobus, which is Latin for "James".