8-4AfterQueenElizabeth

Who succeed the throne after queen Elizabeth? What is his legacy? //Answered prepared by: Emily W//

Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley were the proud parents of James VI, who was to take the throne after his parents. Before James even reached the age of one, his humble father was murdered. Alison Weir thinks other wise in her book, __Mary Queen of Scots and the murder of Lord Darnley __. “ Mary discovered that her husband was interested in only securing sovereign power for himself.” Mary had to give up her throne for her infant son, being the only heir to the throne of Scotland. At thirteen months of age, James VI, now known, as King James, became a powerful ruler.  Even though King James was only thirteen months of age, he still was the rightful king. Though he could not talk or walk, that didn’t mean he couldn’t rule. He surely got all the toys he desired. While King James was growing up, George Buchanan made the decisions, which impacted James extraordinarily. In 1586, King James was around the age of twenty. The Treaty of Berwick, signed by Queen Elizabeth and King James, stated that their two countries, Scotland and England, would have an alliance protecting one another in the time of invasion. One act that took place during his reign was the, “Presbyterianism,” in Scotland. With this act he crushed all Roman Catholic Earls, taking away the their high standards and occupations. About a year had passed and King James married Queen Anne of Demark, who was Catholic. Giving some warmth to their religion. They also had nine healthy children together.

When the news of Queen Elizabeth death arrived, there was one question, “Who was the rightful heir to her throne?” With no choice at hand, King James became King James I of England. The public didn’t accept the new king. Many equated him to an foreigner. His firm opinions about how the country should run negatively affected his social status. His social status relied a lot on his friends. One of his best friends was the world known play writer, William Shakespeare. They together created the Globe Theater where the famous plays __, A Midsummer Night’s Dream __, __Romeo and Juliet, __ and __Hamlet __were performed. “People thought he was narrow-minded and an intellectual bully,” John Butler of “ __James 1 of England __” quoted on his webpage. Though King James was criticized, he is known as one of most the highly successful kings. He dramatically changed Elizabeth’s Church and commissioned a new version of the Bible. He also made peace with Spain before he handed down his throne.

The aftermath was extremely bumpy, more than when he was king. Despite the number of attempts to take his life, he suffered illnesses and depression. after Prince Henry, his heir to the throne was killed in 1612. His wife died in 1619, leaving him with his eight children. He then passed away on March 27, 1625. Now he is buried in Westminster along side Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Elizabeth 1, and Anne of Denmark.

Despite all the ruthless nonsense he went through, King James lived a life of adventure. He never backed down from taking the throne at thirteen months old. He had no choice. All he could do at the time was cry. Though having no choice, he turned out to be a well-rounded king.  Work Cited Butler, John, “James 1 of England,” [online] <span style="text-align: left; display: inline !important;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 90%;">[] <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 90%;">. Accessed on April 6th 2009.

Gristwood, Sarah, “ Elizabeth and Leicester, The Truth about the Virgin Queen and the Man She Loved.” [Book] Penguin books inc, Published in 2008. Accessed on April 13, 2009

Weir, Alison, “Mary Queen of Scots and Murder of Lord Darnley.” [Book] Random house inc, Published in 2003.