King James Popular Books

King James Biography & Facts

James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until his death in 1625. Although he long tried to get both countries to adopt a closer political union, the kingdoms of Scotland and England remained individual sovereign states, with their own parliaments, judiciaries, and laws, both ruled by James in personal union. He was the longest-reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland. James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a great-great-grandson of Henry VII, King of England and Lord of Ireland, and thus a potential successor to all three thrones. He succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of thirteen months, after his mother was forced to abdicate in his favour. Four different regents governed during his minority, which ended officially in 1578, though he did not gain full control of his government until 1583. In 1589, he married Anne of Denmark. Three of their children survived to adulthood: Henry Frederick, Elizabeth, and Charles. In 1603, James succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch of England and Ireland, who died childless. He continued to reign in all three kingdoms for 22 years, a period known as the Jacobean era, until his death in 1625. After the Union of the Crowns, he based himself in England (the largest of the three realms) from 1603, returning to Scotland only once, in 1617, and styled himself "King of Great Britain and Ireland". He was a major advocate of a single parliament for England and Scotland. In his reign, the Plantation of Ulster and English colonisation of the Americas began. At 57 years and 246 days, James's reign in Scotland was the longest of any Scottish monarch. He achieved most of his aims in Scotland but faced great difficulties in England, including the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and repeated conflicts with the English Parliament. Under James, the "Golden Age" of Elizabethan literature and drama continued, with writers such as William Shakespeare, John Donne, Ben Jonson, and Francis Bacon contributing to a flourishing literary culture. James himself was a prolific writer, authoring works such as Daemonologie (1597), The True Law of Free Monarchies (1598), and Basilikon Doron (1599). He sponsored the translation of the Bible into English later named after him, the Authorized King James Version, and the 1604 revision of the Book of Common Prayer. Anthony Weldon claimed that James had been termed "the wisest fool in Christendom", an epithet associated with his character ever since. Since the latter half of the 20th century, historians have tended to revise James's reputation and treat him as a serious and thoughtful monarch. He was strongly committed to a peace policy, and tried to avoid involvement in religious wars, especially the Thirty Years' War that devastated much of Central Europe. He tried but failed to prevent the rise of hawkish elements in the English Parliament who wanted war with Spain. He was succeeded by his second son, Charles I. Childhood Birth James was the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Both Mary and Darnley were great-grandchildren of Henry VII of England through Margaret Tudor, the older sister of Henry VIII. Mary's rule over Scotland was insecure, and she and her husband, being Roman Catholics, faced a rebellion by Protestant noblemen. During Mary's and Darnley's difficult marriage, Darnley secretly allied himself with the rebels and conspired in the murder of the queen's private secretary, David Rizzio, just three months before James's birth.James was born on 19 June 1566 at Edinburgh Castle, and as the eldest son and heir apparent of the monarch automatically became Duke of Rothesay and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. Five days later, an English diplomat Henry Killigrew saw the queen, who had not fully recovered and could only speak faintly. The baby was "sucking at his nurse" and was "well proportioned and like to prove a goodly prince". He was baptised "Charles James" or "James Charles" on 17 December 1566 in a Catholic ceremony held at Stirling Castle. His godparents were Charles IX of France (represented by John, Count of Brienne), Elizabeth I of England (represented by the Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford), and Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (represented by ambassador Philibert du Croc). Mary refused to let the Archbishop of St Andrews, whom she referred to as "a pocky priest", spit in the child's mouth, as was then the custom. The subsequent entertainment, devised by Frenchman Bastian Pagez, featured men dressed as satyrs and sporting tails, to which the English guests took offence, thinking the satyrs "done against them".Lord Darnley was murdered on 10 February 1567 at Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh, perhaps in revenge for the killing of Rizzio. James inherited his father's titles of Duke of Albany and Earl of Ross. Mary was already unpopular, and her marriage on 15 May 1567 to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, who was widely suspected of murdering Darnley, heightened widespread bad feeling towards her. In June 1567, Protestant rebels arrested Mary and imprisoned her in Lochleven Castle; she never saw her son again. She was forced to abdicate on 24 July 1567 in favour of the infant James and to appoint her illegitimate half-brother James Stewart, Earl of Moray, as regent. This made James the third consecutive Scottish monarch to ascend to the throne as an infant. Regencies The care of James was entrusted to the Earl and Countess of Mar, "to be conserved, nursed, and upbrought" in the security of Stirling Castle. James was anointed King of Scotland at the age of thirteen months at the Church of the Holy Rude in Stirling, by Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney, on 29 July 1567. The sermon at the coronation was preached by John Knox. In accordance with the religious beliefs of most of the Scottish ruling class, James was brought up as a member of the Protestant Church of Scotland, the Kirk. The Privy Council selected George Buchanan, Peter Young, Adam Erskine (lay abbot of Cambuskenneth), and David Erskine (lay abbot of Dryburgh) as James's preceptors or tutors. As the young king's senior tutor, Buchanan subjected James to regular beatings but also instilled in him a lifelong passion for literature and learning. Buchanan sought to turn James into a God-fearing, Protestant king who accepted the limitations of monarchy, as outlined in his treatise De Jure Regni apud Scotos.In 1568, Mary escaped from Lochleven Castle, leading to several years of sporadic violence. The Earl of Moray defeated Mary's troops at the Battle of Langside, forcing her to flee to England, where she was subsequently kept in confinement by Elizabeth. On 23 January 1570, Moray was assassinated by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh. The next regent was James's paternal grandfather, Matthe.... Discover the King James popular books. Find the top 100 most popular King James books.

Best Seller King James Books of 2024

  • When the Duke Was Wicked synopsis, comments

    When the Duke Was Wicked

    Lorraine Heath

    They are England's most eligible bachelors, with the most scandalous reputations. But for the right woman, even an unrepentant rogue may mend his ways . . .Lady Grace Mabry's ample...

  • The Bible, King James Version, Complete Contents synopsis, comments

    The Bible, King James Version, Complete Contents

    Anonymous

    The bible, it is the most authentic of all literary coalescence, jutting its powerful ambience on the chronicles of man's history. It is amazing that those who are not wise and are...

  • Misery synopsis, comments

    Misery

    Stephen King

    The #1 New York Times bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage in a remote location by his “number one fan.” One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY).Bestsel...

  • The Butler synopsis, comments

    The Butler

    Wil Haygood

    This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film, The Butler traces the Civil Rights Movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century American history through the...

  • The Other Queen synopsis, comments

    The Other Queen

    Philippa Gregory

    From #1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregorya dazzling new novel about the intriguing, romantic, and maddening Mary, Queen of...

  • Study of the King James Bible synopsis, comments

    Study of the King James Bible

    Cleland Boyd McAfee

    We owe still more to translation. While there is accumulating evidence that there was spoken in Palestine at that time a colloquial Greek, with which most people would be familiar,...

  • Bible - King James Version synopsis, comments

    Bible - King James Version

    King James VI

    HOLY BIBLE KING JAMES VERSION 1611 EDITION.  Complete King James Bible with active table of contents and excellent navigation through the chapters and verses. This edition of ...

  • In Bed With the Devil synopsis, comments

    In Bed With the Devil

    Lorraine Heath

    They call him the Devil Earla scoundrel and accused murderer who grew up on the violent London streets. A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the ...

  • Seduced by a Pirate synopsis, comments

    Seduced by a Pirate

    Eloisa James

    Seduced by a Pirate is an original, RITAaward winning enovella from New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James. Sir Griffin Barry is one of the most feared pirates on the high...

  • The King James Bible, Complete synopsis, comments

    The King James Bible, Complete

    Unknown

    This volume is the complete King James version of the Christian Bible, an English translation authorized by the Church of England and completed in 1611.

  • The Bible, Old and New Testaments, King James Version synopsis, comments
  • The Girl with Seven Names synopsis, comments

    The Girl with Seven Names

    Hyeonseo Lee

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAn extraordinary insight into life under one of the world’s most ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the story of one woman’s terrifying struggle to...

  • Once More, My Darling Rogue synopsis, comments

    Once More, My Darling Rogue

    Lorraine Heath

    They are England's most eligible bachelors, with the most scandalous reputations. But for the right woman, even an unrepentant rogue may mend his ways . . .Born to the street but r...

  • Misquoting Jesus synopsis, comments

    Misquoting Jesus

    Bart D. Ehrman

    When worldclass biblical scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study the texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and inten...

  • The Holy Bible - King James Version synopsis, comments

    The Holy Bible - King James Version

    King James

    Holy Bible King James Version Few Sample Paragraphs from The Holy Bible eBook, Genesis (OT) 1 Gen. 1 IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was with...

  • The King James Bible synopsis, comments

    The King James Bible

    Forty-seven Scholars of the Church of England (Translators) & Gustave Doré

    The classic text specially formatted for ebook readers. Includes 98 illustrations by acclaimed Biblical artist Gustave Doré.

  • Much Ado About You synopsis, comments

    Much Ado About You

    Eloisa James

    When you're the oldest daughter, you don't get to have any fun! Witty, orphaned Tess Essex faces her duty: marry well and marry quickly, so she can arrange matches for her three ...

  • The LDS Scriptures - The LDS Quadruple Combination synopsis, comments

    The LDS Scriptures - The LDS Quadruple Combination

    Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, LDS Scriptures, LDS Quad Combination, King James Version of the Holy Bible, Quad Combination, Mormon Scriptures & Joseph Smith

    The LDS Complete Scriptures "Quadruple Combination" contains the full, unabridged text of the King James Holy Bible and the complete and unabridged versions of The Book of Mormon, ...

  • On the Court with...LeBron James synopsis, comments

    On the Court with...LeBron James

    Matt Christopher & Stephanie Peters

    Get on the court with basketball superstar LeBron James in this indepth, updated biography! LeBron James was a sensation in his early days playing ball in Akron, Ohio, and he cont...

  • The King James Bible in Modern English synopsis, comments

    The King James Bible in Modern English

    The American Revision Committee

    The Revised Version, Standard American Edition of the Bible, more commonly known as the American Standard Version (ASV), is a version of the Bible that was released in 1901. It was...

  • The King James Bible synopsis, comments

    The King James Bible

    Various Authors

    This is the official Authorized King James version of The Holy Bible. Begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England, The Holy Bible includes a full searchable Englis...

  • NKJV, Holy Bible synopsis, comments

    NKJV, Holy Bible

    Thomas Nelson

    Commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 130 respected Bible scholars, church leaders, and lay Christians worked for seven years to create a completely modern edition of t...

  • The Mars Room synopsis, comments

    The Mars Room

    Rachel Kushner

    TIME’S #1 FICTION TITLE OF THE YEAR NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2018 FINALIST for the MAN BOOKER PRIZE and the NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDLONGLISTED for the ANDREW CARNE...

  • The King James Version of the Holy Bible synopsis, comments

    The King James Version of the Holy Bible

    Unknown

    This complete text of Christianity’s Holy Scriptures is in the 1611 English translation that has greatly influenced the language and continues to inspire awe today.

  • The Holy Bible synopsis, comments

    The Holy Bible

    Unknown

    The King James Bible for ebook readers, desktops, tablets and phones. Including Old Testament and New Testament, this is a wonderful tool that keeps the scriptures at your fingerti...

  • Desperate Duchesses synopsis, comments

    Desperate Duchesses

    Eloisa James

    Welcome to a world of reckless sensuality and glittering sophistication . . . of dangerously handsome gentlemen and young ladies longing to gain a title . . . of games played for h...

  • Fool for Love synopsis, comments

    Fool for Love

    Eloisa James

    The WomanLady Henrietta Maclellan longs for the romantic swirl of a London season. But as a rusticating country maiden, she has always kept her sensuous nature firmly under wraps ...

  • Falling synopsis, comments

    Falling

    T. J. Newman

    #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Terrifying…buckle up for a chilling summer read.” People (Best Books of the Week) “The perfect thriller! A mustread.” Gillian Fly...

  • The Troop synopsis, comments

    The Troop

    Nick Cutter

    WINNER OF THE JAMES HERBERT AWARD FOR HORROR WRITING“The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn’t put it down. This is oldschool horror at its best.” Stephen KingOnce every ...

  • The Holy Bible - King James Version synopsis, comments

    The Holy Bible - King James Version

    King James

    This complete and revised edition of "The King James Bible" was designed for optimal navigation on the iPad and other electronic devices. It has both book and chapter navigation li...

  • Drowning synopsis, comments

    Drowning

    T. J. Newman

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES “Reads like Apollo 13 underwater.” Don Winslow “Masterful.” Patricia Cornwell “A stunn...