‘Elizabeth was king, now James is queen’, one anonymous English author wrote around 1623, and it is this quote which begins Queen James, which was released today in the United Kingdom.
I recently had the delight of having its author, historian Gareth Russell, back on my show for Season 2, Episode 2 of Stuart Saturday Live. It is always a pleasure to have him as a guest, for he is warm, a great conversationalist, and one of the most erudite persons in my acquaintance. Last year, he came on my show to discuss his work, The Palace, about Hampton Court Palace, and we focused on the Stuart-era changes and history of that originally Tudor palace.
One of Hampton Court’s previous royal residents was King James VI of Scotland and I of England. And it is this James—so often overlooked by popular histories—who is the subject of Russell’s latest book, Queen James: The Life and Loves of Britain’s First King. Although this book sounds as though it will solely focus upon James’s love life, this is just part of the rich tapestry of the Jacobean world that Gareth Russell has brought to life for us. I’m grateful to his publisher, William Collins, for sending me an Advanced Review Copy, and the following is my honest appraisal of the book.
The book contains many, many different historical figures, and there is a handy ‘Dramatis Personae’ at the end, which can help those less well-acquainted with these to get back on track. The two sections of colour images are well-chosen and vibrant. There are maps, family trees, notes, a bibliography, and an index. The Epilogue contained a concise yet surprisingly full summary of the history of the rest of the Stuart dynasty, at least as far as Queen Anne is concerned. It was also a thrill and honour to have my reference book, Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain, cited and listed in the bibliography.
Although eminently readable and gripping, Queen James is a hefty tome, and it certainly gave me much to consider. I often reflect upon how one can have preconceived notions about historical figures based on peripheral reading and whatnot and then have these notions tested and sometimes altered by more exposure to primary sources. In my case, I didn’t have a favourable view of James, especially with his dealings with witch-hunting and some aspects of his personality (even his sons, Henry and Charles, thought him rather vulgar, etc); but I pitied him particularly for his lamentably sad childhood and the paranoia he developed about being assassinated (with good reason).
I liked how Russell didn’t just launch straight into James’s sexuality, but spent a considerable time on his backstory – the tragic lives of his parents, the formidable (and terrifying!) impact of his time under the tutelage of George Buchanan, whom I now despise, and the various political complexities, horrors, and intrigues which plagued his life.
‘I was alone, without father or mother, brother or sister’ – James VI, King of Scots, 1589
The unhappiness of his childhood certainly impacted his character and life, and James was keen to avoid having his children suffer similarly. I commend Mr Russell on the extraordinary detail, analysis, and humanity he has poured into Queen James. The king’s amours are not presented sensationally, but rather in a well-rounded and considered manner. Of course, the well-known Robert Carr and the even more (in)famous George Villiers are prominently featured in this, but several lesser-known individuals are described, and their interactions and relationships with James are presented well and articulately. I was particularly interested in the ‘Appendix: Terminology and deciphering evidence of intimacy’, in which Russell lays out his reasoning for using the terminology he has, and I agree with what he says.
Image created by The Seventeenth Century Lady.
For me, Queen James was a compelling read, making me ultimately see James in a whole new light, and is a substantial and remarkable contribution to the study of the history of Stuart Britain. If he hadn’t already proved this in his previous works, I would argue that Russell is one of the great living historians and is setting the (very high) standard for the rest of us, and we are very lucky to have him and his work.
