44. He Faced Multiple Plots On His Life
There were two major conspiracies to dethrone James in just his first 12 months as King of England: The Bye Plot and the Main Plot. Both came remarkably close to fruition but fell apart at the last moment. When authorities captured those who had conspired against him, it proved an early chance for James to prove what kind of king he would be—and his response shocked everyone.
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004), BBC
45. His Reaction To Treason Was Surprising
Remember, there were still people alive who remembered the ax-happy Tudors like Henry VIII and Bloody Mary. So imagine the Londoners' surprise when James actually pardoned all but one of the conspirators. He decided that he didn't want his reign to begin with bloodshed, so he showed mercy. Unfortunately, if he'd known what was coming, he probably would have wished he'd been much, much harsher on anyone who tried to cross him.
46. He Enjoyed His Leisure Time
When King James arrived in London, he found a well-oiled machine. Several powerful politicians had been looking after the affairs of government in the final years of Elizabeth's life, so James didn't actually have to do much of anything at all. He was free to spend most of his time in leisure, mostly hunting while his advisors ran the show.
But while James mostly avoided the nitty-gritty of running a country, he did focus very hard on one thing in particular.
47. He Wanted To Be The First
The King of Scotland becoming the King of England presented a very unique opportunity. England and Scotland had fought each other for centuries, but now, for the first time ever, the same man ruled both nations. More than anything else, James dreamed of being the first-ever King of Great Britain. However, there's one thing he didn't count on.
Pretty much every single person in both England and Scotland absolutely hated that idea.
48. Everyone Despised His Idea
Opposition to the whole "King of Great Britain" thing flared up pretty much instantly. He tried to make it official, but the House of Commons refused his request. This is where things just got sad. Though Parliament made it very clear that England and Scotland were still very much separate countries and that "Great Britain" did not exist as a political entity, James still used the title at every chance he got.
It didn't really mean anything, but hey, at least it made him feel better.
49. His Wife Stopped Sleeping With Him
James and Anne had eight children together, though only three of them survived to adulthood. The last was born in 1607, but by that time, the unhappy couple had long since begun living in separate palaces. Then, one final miscarriage led Anne to decide she didn't want to get pregnant again. By that point, James pretty much only visited her to make more children. Without that, their marriage fell apart completely.
But that wasn't the only thing that drove them apart. The pressures of being king started to change James, and Anne did not like what he became.
50. His Wife Gossiped About Him
When a French envoy visited the English court in 1604, they came looking for all the juiciest gossip—and Queen Anne was more than willing to dish. She complained about James's ever-increasing drinking and made a grim prediction: "The King drinks so much, and conducts himself so ill in every respect, that I expect an early and evil result."
Anne must have known the envoy would take that new back to France, but she spilled the beans anyway—though soon her husband's drinking would be the last of her problems.
51. He Started Religious Turmoil
One of the reasons the English people liked James so much at first was that he was a Protestant. If it came out that James secretly had Catholic sympathies, it could be utter ruin for the new king. When one of his spies discovered his wife's secret, he was furious: She had accepted a rosary from the Pope himself.
In a knee-jerk reaction, James publicly denounced the Catholic Church, something he'd avoided doing thus far. It made his Protestant supporters happy—but as you can imagine, it made many Catholics angry. And some of them even got angry enough to do something about it.
52. He Made A Lot Of Enemies With One Statement
English Catholics worried about James from the start. With Elizabeth childless, they held out hope that a Catholic monarch might succeed her. Then James came along, a staunch Protestant with two sons to carry on the line. Many Catholics felt like they were running out of time to put one of their own back on the throne, and James's proclamation sealed those fears.
Tensions were getting high—and James's next proclamation was the last straw.
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53. He Pushed The Catholics Too Far
James denounced the Catholic Church, but that wasn't a strong enough statement. Three days later, he ordered all Jesuit and Catholic priests to leave the country, and reinstated fines for anyone who refused to attend Anglican church services. Being Catholic was officially against the law in England. I'm sure James expected some pushback to this drastic measure—but I doubt he realized it would be so...explosive.
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004), BBC
54. He Inspired The Gunpowder Plot
Catholic conspirators had had enough, and they hatched a now-infamous plan to assassinate James, destroy the Houses of Parliament, and install his daughter Elizabeth as a Catholic monarch. The Gunpowder Plot was bold and it was extremely dangerous—and yet it came remarkably close to coming to fruition.
55. The Conspirators Almost Got Him
You know the rest of the story: Guards found Guy Fawkes underneath the House of Lords guarding a whopping 36 barrels of gunpowder. The resulting explosion, intended to take place during the State Opening of Parliament, would have completely crippled the entire English Government. However, at the final hour, a mysterious whistleblower revealed the plot.
The plot foiled, all the remaining conspirators fled the city. If they thought they could escape James's wrath, they were wrong.
56. He Showed No Mercy This Time
James's forces eventually cornered the remaining conspirators at a country inn, leading to a deadly standoff. Two of them were shot in the fracas—but those two got off lucky. James's men dragged the remaining traitors back to London, where they each received a very public and very gruesome execution. Executioners castrated and disemboweled several of them while they still breathed.
Guy Fawkes managed to escape that fate, at least. He jumped from the scaffold and broke his own neck. And the worst part is, each of them lost their lives knowing that their plot had not only failed, but that the vengeful King James would make life for English Catholics even worse. He had shown mercy before—but he wasn't going to do it again.
57. He Was More Popular Than Ever
The Gunpowder Plot actually turned out great for King James I, all things considered. Though his popularity had already started to wane, the attempt on his life made the people love him again. The people's renewed support also allowed his advisors to raise taxes higher than they'd been in years, and the relieved masses were happy to pony up!
The years that followed were probably the best of James's entire English reign—but a devastating tragedy was just around the corner.
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004), BBC
58. His Son Was A Brat
Remember all that fighting James and Anne had done over their son, Prince Henry? Well, that was a long time past, and now Henry was growing into a remarkably confident and popular young man. Actually, confident might not be the right word...arrogant was more like it. Maybe his mom turned him against his dad, but Henry showed absolutely no respect for his father, king or not.
Once, while out hunting, James called Henry out for his lack of enthusiasm. Henry lost it and almost struck his dad with a cane before riding off in a huff. Then, to salt the wound, most of the hunting party rode off with the prince, leaving James sitting there looking weak and embarrassed.
59. His Son Was A Problem
It was starting to look like Prince Henry might become a serious problem for James. The boy was probably even more popular than he was, and his blatant lack of respect was making James look bad. James was going to have to deal with this issue before it ballooned and threatened his rule. But then, in a twist of fate, the problem solved itself—though not in the way James ever would have wanted.
60. He Lost The Boy In The Prime Of His Life
In 1612, Henry, the Prince of Wales, suddenly fell ill with a violent fever. He passed in a matter of days. Queen Anne was particularly devastated, and visitors were told to never mention the Prince or to even offer condolences, "because she cannot bear to have it mentioned." As if James and Anne's relationship hadn't been bad enough before, now he only reminded her of her lost son.
61. His Son's Funeral Had An Uninvited Guest
The people of England adored the Prince of Wales and they shared in Queen Anne's grief. Over a thousand mourners attended his funeral—though I bet none of them realized what they were in for. During the somber occasion, a crazed naked man sprinted through the mourners, screaming that he was Prince Henry's ghost.
Now there's a sight you wouldn't soon forget—but one notable face wasn't there to see it: James himself.
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004), BBC
62. He Didn't Even Bother To Show Up
King James allegedly hated funerals, and he refused to attend his son's service for that reason. Now, might it also have had to do with his son's total disrespect threatening James's station? Who can say? Either way, James didn't bother to show up to bid his son goodbye. He had a new boy-toy to keep him plenty busy anyway.
63. He Found A New Boy Toy
After James's controversial relationship with Esmé Stewart in his youth, he'd mostly avoided showing too much fondness for any specific men in public. That all changed in 1607. Apparently, James figured now that he was the King of England, who was going to stop him? That year, he attended a jousting contest, and one particularly cute contestant happened to catch his eye.
64. He Fell For A Teenager
During the tournament, a 17-year-old page named Robert Carr fell from his horse and broke his leg. Evidently, it was love at first sight. James personally helped nurse Carr back to health, and just like that, King James had a new favorite to dote upon. He lavished Carr with gifts and titles, eventually making him the Earl of Somerset—but being the king's favorite could be a double-edged sword.
65. His Favorite Wasn't The Sharpest Tool In The Shed
Robert Carr was known for two things: He was absolutely gorgeous—and dumb as a rock. Apparently, that's just how James I liked them. Over the next eight years, Carr enjoyed a meteoric rise. He went from being a nobody page (and a pretty bad jouster) to the King's closest confidant and one of the most powerful men in England.
James gave him endless gifts, even his own castle, and let him have sway over important matters of government. Do you think Carr could handle any of this? Of course not! The King loved him for now, but he was bound to slip up eventually—and did he ever.
66. His Favorite Fell For A Girl
The relationship between King James and his favorites was always a little...unconventional. James let Carr have lovers of his own, so long as he always knew where his bread was buttered. Eventually, Carr began an affair with a young married woman named Frances Howard. He begged James to force the bishops to grant Howard a pretty shady divorce so that he could have her.
Since what James's boy-toy wanted, he got, James did as Carr asked. Carr was totally unaware that he'd just sealed his own doom.
67. He Got Jealous
Robert Carr started spending a lot of time with his new wife—far too much for King James's liking. In one angry letter, James wrote, "You have been creeping back and withdrawing yourself from lying in my chamber, notwithstanding my many hundred times earnest soliciting you to the contrary." James had been the one to make Carr's marriage happen, and now he started to regret it.
He'd regret it a whole lot more when Carr's new wife killed a man.
68. His Favorite Got In Serious Trouble
Robert Carr made James's court play out like a soap opera—so it's fitting that his time as James's favorite came to a ridiculously scandalous end. Carr's best friend, Thomas Overbury, had opposed his marriage to Frances Howard. As revenge, Howard had Overbury poisoned. When news of this came to light, James was absolutely ruthless.
Seeing the chance to get rid of his fallen favorite and his troublesome wife, James had them both face trial.
69. He Turned On Carr Just Like That
James I wanted to teach Robert Carr a harsh lesson, but he flinched at the last moment. The courts sentenced both Carr and Howard to hang, but James couldn't bear to see his longtime favorite meet such an end. He commuted both of their sentences, but left them to rot in the Tower of London for seven long years out of spite.
But just because James was done with Robert Carr didn't mean he was done with male favorites. Right around the time his relationship with Carr fell apart, a new face entered the picture: The now-infamous George Villiers.
70. His Final Favorite Was Special
George Villiers was the whole package. He was allegedly extremely handsome and keenly intelligent—so definitely an upgrade from Carr in that regard. He was a commoner, but that didn't matter to King James. Not long after they met, James made him a knight. A few years after that, he took it a step further: He made Villiers the Duke of Buckingham, the first commoner to become a duke in over a century.
Like Carr before him, Villiers soon became one of the most powerful men in England, all thanks to King James. He'd pay a heavy price for it in the end, but for now, he was living large.
The Three Musketeers (2011), Constantin Film
71. His Lover And His Wife Got Along
George Villiers had one thing going for him that James's other favorites didn't: The Queen absolutely loved him. Though she and James basically never saw each other by this point, Anne and Villiers became remarkably close. She affectionately called him her "dog" (weird nickname, but OK) and beseeched him to always stay true to her husband.
And that he did. Unlike the fleeting relationships with Esmé Stewart and Robert Carr, James remained with George Villiers for the rest of his days—which by this point were growing fewer and fewer.
72. He Outlived His Poor Wife
At this point, King James and Queen Anne were husband and wife in name only. Each of them seemed to be waiting for the other to croak—and Anne went first. She suffered from painful gout and dropsy in her final years and became more and more reclusive as her condition grew worse. James knew of her illness, yet he was too busy with Villiers to be bothered to visit often.
James only saw his wife three times during her final illness, and he wasn't there when she passed at age 44.
73. He Was Actually Heartbroken
Despite their incredibly difficult marriage, losing Anne hit James surprisingly hard. As with his son before her, James didn't attend his wife's funeral—but he had a pretty good reason this time. His own health was beginning to fail by now, and news of Anne's passing left him suffering spells of "fainting, sighing, dread, incredible sadness..."
He'd never really treated her well and he'd spent far more time with his male favorites, but it seemed James still had some small place in his heart for Anne of Denmark.
74. His Wife Shot His Dog
Anne of Denmark got the short end of the stick in life. She lived as a powerless and marginalized queen who had to watch her husband flaunt his male lovers in front of the entire court, but she did win one victory over James: In 1613, she shot his favorite dog. This so-called "accident" took place during a 1613 hunting expedition.
James may have taken her son from her, ignored her, and cheated on her—but she went to her grave knowing she had also taken away something he loved.
75. His Body Started Falling Apart
In the years following Anne's passing, James's health grew worse and worse. Arthritis, gout, kidney stones, you name it, he had it. The fact that he drank constantly and lost all of his teeth definitely didn't help matters either.
76. He Was A Shell Of His Former Self
Eventually, James grew too feeble to take part in government at all. He almost always stayed at country estates while Villiers and his son, the soon-to-be King Charles I, ran things in London. Finally, in 1625, he suffered a stroke, and that spelled the end. He held on for a few more weeks before a painful bout of dysentery claimed his life. He must have been a horrible sight, with no teeth, swollen appendages, and open sores, but still, his greatest love, George Villiers, was there by his side at the end.
77. He Sold His Mother Out For Power
King James died as the first ruler of both Scotland and England—but he had to betray his own mother to do it. All those years ago, when the English had Mary, Queen of Scots executed under shady circumstances, James publicly condemned the “preposterous and strange procedure” that led to her end. But while he talked a big game, he made no move against England for vengeance.
James knew he had to keep playing nice if he wanted to inherit the English throne one day, so that's exactly what he did. Sorry, Mary, I guess you just weren't worth it.
Reign (2013–2017), CBS Television Studios
78. He Was Harsh On Sodomites
Historians have debated the truth about King James's sexuality for centuries—and they'll probably continue to do so for years to come. Those who claim he was straight point to the fact that he took an incredibly severe stance against sodomy, calling it one of those "horrible crimes which ye are bound in conscience never to forgive."
Sorry James, but Shakespeare had already written Hamlet, so people knew the phrase, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Reign (2013–2017), CBS Television Studios
79. His Letters Are...Revealing
So King James was vehemently against sodomy—but the shocking letters he shared with George Villiers tell a different story. In one particularly, ahem, specific passage, Villiers wrote, "I entertained myself, your unworthy servant, with this dispute, whether you loved me now...better than at the time which I shall never forget at Farnham, where the bed's head could not be found between the master and his dog."
Sure, that's not technically proof of anything, but...come on now.
The Three Musketeers (2011), Constantin Film
80. His Lover Sent Him A Chilling "Gift"
After rebels forced Esmé Stewart to leave Scotland, James never laid eyes on him again—but their relationship didn't end there. The two kept up a secret correspondence for years. Apparently, Stewart repaid James' obsession in kind, writing, "The faithfulness which is engraved within my heart, which will last forever...Whatever might happen to me, I shall always be your faithful servant...You are alone in this world whom my heart is resolved to serve."
But those letters are nothing compared to what Stewart did after he passed on. He had his own heart removed, embalmed, and sent to James. So...romantic?
