From the Pragmatic to the Cruel: 7 Ways King James VI and I Changed Society

James Charles Stuart became King of Scotland on July 24, 1567 , at the age of 13 months , after his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate.

He was authoritarian (believing in the divine right of kings), extravagant (prone to overspending the public purse), and terribly cruel (responsible for the deaths of thousands through state-sanctioned witch hunts).

James VI and I signed the Treaty of London at Somerset House in 1604 ushering in 50 years of stability between the old foes.

The peace with Spain was celebrated in some quarters , but others found it less favorable.

The wholesale persecution of those suspected of witchcraft began, starting with the North Berwick witch trials of 15901591 .

Up to 6000 people ( 85 percent of whom were women and mainly poor) were accused of witchcraft.

The King James Bible represents another example of James VI and I’s wish to unify his kingdom under a single king and church.

The advent of printing presses had led to an explosion in versions of the Bible in the 15th century .

The KJV represented a democratized Bible , with teachings directly accessible to the people in a language they could understand for the first time.