A very thorough and perceptive analysis of the Reign of James VI of Scotland, later to be James I of England. Patterson's depiction of James as a conciliatory force within British Christendom is well supported in this excellent period history. Articulate and intellectually stimulating.

Dr. Patterson's King James VI and I and the Reunion of Christendom is a significant contribution to the volume of works written about early 17th Century . The work shows that James tried to acheive an ecumenical union among the fractured states of Europe in a century that saw one crisis after another. The incredible amount of research that went into this book is clearly evident. This would make an excellent addition to anyone's library.

One of the most intriguing characters in the history of 16th century Scotland was Francis Stewart, Fifth Earl of Bothwell. Cousin to King James VI and godson of Mary Queen of Scots, Bothwell was a pivotal figure in what the book's cover copy aptly terms "the nightmare politics of his day."

Handsome, charismatic, and wildly popular, Bothwell was both rallying point and poster boy for such disparate groups as the border reivers, bishops of the Kirk, and ambitious Catholic noblemen. Although Bothwell stood uncomfortably near the throne (his father was one of James V's [illegitimate] sons), King James VI was openly fond of his cousin, granting him honors and restoring to him lands and titles lost by his uncle James Hepburn, the fourth Earl of Bothwell (and Mary's third husband.)

Bothwell rewarded his royal cousin's favor with a campaign of terror -- repeated efforts to kidnap James, as well as several strange, almost inexplicable assaults on the king's privacy and peace of mind. The turbulent, fragmented culture and the constantly shifting loyalties of Scotish nobles and clery made it extremely difficult for James to censure Bothwell, much less contain him. Bishops praised Bothwell from the pulpits as the "sanctified scourge of God," castles guardians quietly released him from any attempted imprisonment, and the border reivers, always eager for adventure and plunder, flocked to his banner, providing Bothwell with a personal army that was often far superior to anything the king could muster.

Courted by nearly every faction in Scotland, financed by his marriage to a wealthy widow (and through under-the-table stipends from Queen Elizabeth, who encouraged many of his exploits), Bothwell led a charmed life, albeit a highly complicated one. As Lord Admiral of Scotland, he carried on secret and highly treasonous negotiations with Spain in the uncertain days before the attack of the famous Spanish Armada. He accepted money from England's queen while he plotted to free his royal godmother from an English prison. Such was his popularity and power that he weathered two of the most deadly accusations possible: treason through witchcraft.

When storms waylaid James' expected bride, Anne of Denmark, the king gallantly set sail to meet her in Norway. Their return was hampered by such fierce storms that Danish sailors suspected witchcraft. James, who survived the first of many assassination attempts when he was still in his mother's womb, was a justifiably nervous man, always alert to any threat to his person and position. Back in Scotland, he learned that a conspiracy of witches in North Berwick, alledgedly led by the Earl of Bothwell, had performed dark rites in an attempt to bring about the king's death. A trial resulted, but Bothwell was easily acquitted by this peers (due in no small part to the large band of "toughs" who were much in evidence during the trial.)

This is easily the best, most informative source I've found on the Fifth Earl of Bothwell. The author writes well. The information is organized well, researched throroughly, argued clearly, and presented in an accessible style. This book filled in the gaps left by several intriguing, unanswered questions raised by other histories of the period, including several biographies of King James VI. Few books present the complicated politics of 16th century Scotland so vividly. Some characters cannot be defined by a recitation of their actions; their power comes largely from a personal charisma, and can only be perceived in the context of their times and through the eyes of the people who knew them. Bothwell was such a man, and any attempt to "explain" him is likely to fall well short of the mark. Not even a reliable portrait remains to help our imaginations conjure the "wizard earl." That said, this book exceeded not only my expectations, but my hopes. I came away with a far better understanding, not only of Francis Stewart, but of this fascinating era.

Some readers might be unnerved by the author's implied assumption that malevelent witchcraft not only existed, but actually worked. Skeptics would do well to remember that this book attempts to bring the reader into the mindset of 16th century Scotland. Read in this context, such passages add to the narrative rather that detract from its credibility.

Highly recommented book. It's hard to find a copy, but well worth the effort.

Otto Scott pulls no punches in his evaluation of James I of England (James VI of Scotland). Scott's writing is easy to read and fast paced, yet of a high scholarly quality. His solidly Christian perspective is unusual today. Look for other books by Scott. I recommend his book on Robespierre and _The Great Christian Revolution_. Highly recommended -- you will not be disappointed.

I listened to this book on tape rather than reading it and enjoyed it very much. I am currently studying the history, society, clans, geography, etc. of Scotland and found this books not only enjoyable but historically correct and entertaining. I'm always amazed at what society accepted and did not accept in times past. John Stewart was a character whom I grew to care about and admired, in spite of his very human failings at times. He wanted to do what was right and good but all too often found himself caught up in events and compromise that would lead him into danger and intrigue. I feared the ending would not resolve itself happily but when it did, I rejoiced for John! A good read and I can't wait to read more of the many books written by Nigel Tranter.

Most famous for her beauty and horrific execution the history of her life is compelling litany of betrayal and tragic mistakes. For anyone interested in the period this is defiantly a must read. However there one issues that I take with the book. One is that Ms Fraser's good schooling shines through on many pages as she often quotes a line of two from Mary written in French without bothering to provide the led elite with a translation. This can often make funny little anecdotes seem rather pointless to the reader.

Still there is no better way to discover the full scope of Mary and how people and events all conspired against her.

Perhaps no resident of Edinburgh is more famous than Mary Queen of Scots. Ironically, she lived in the land for only twelve of her forty-four years and her period of personal rule lasted a mere six years, none of which were free from strife.

Born as her father lay dying she became Queen before she was a week old. During her infancy King Henry VIII of England raided the country several times in order to kidnap the girl and secure her as a bride for his son Edward. She was sent to France by her Mother and raised as a daughter by the King. At the age of 16 she married the heir to the French throne who became King shortly thereafter. When her young husband died a year into his reign she was left a teenaged childless Queen Dowager.

She returned to the land of her birth to find herself a Catholic Queen in a country in the midst of Protestant Reformation. Many of her protestant subjects feared that she would become a second 'Bloody Mary' and like her cousin Mary Tudor attempt to force her country back to the Catholic faith. Plots and rebellions against her were a persistent occurrence. Knowing herself to be in a weak position, needing to keep both her Catholic allies and her subjects contented, Mary set a policy of tolerance and moderation in religious matters. Radicals on both sides of the religious spectrum found fault with Mary's tolerance of the religious diversity in Scotland.

Mary herself made matters worse by her disastrous romances. She married her cousin Henry Darnley in the hopes of strengthening her claim to the English throne. After only a few short months he began to plot against her in the hope of securing the throne of Scotland for himself. He and other Scottish nobles murdered Mary's private secretary and friend David Rizzio as she watched, helpless to intervene. When Mary was able to put down this rebellion he turned on his former allies and attempted unsuccessfully to reconcile with the Queen. In the end his erstwhile allies disgusted at his betrayal murdered him as he lay ill at his home Kirk O' Field. It is still debated how much Mary herself knew about the plans to murder her husband the Scottish king.

With Darnley out of the way the remaining Scottish lords were horrified when one of their own kidnapped Mary and became her third husband. He was James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell was one of the leading suspects in the murder of Darnley. Her marriage to him cost her the love of her people, her tenuous friendship with her cousin Elizabeth I, and her catholic allies around Europe. In one short month Mary was driven from the throne, forced to abdicate in favor of her infant son and placed in captivity by the Scottish lords. Her husband escaped the country only to be taken prisoner in Denmark. Bothwell would live another eleven years in a dungeon slowly going insane.
Mary was also able to escape from her prison, the castle and Lochleven, and she made her way to the English border. Mary of Scotland was the last person whom Elizabeth would wish to see in her kingdom. Viewed by many Catholics as the rightful Queen of England, Mary was a great danger to Elizabeth. Mary became Elizabeth's "guest" and spent nineteen years in captivity in her cousin's country. Since Mary was also the unacknowledged heir to the throne, her jailers were always cautious to treat her with the respect due to one so close to becoming Queen of the land.

As the years passed the captive Mary became a romantic figure to many and was able to restore the reputation lost by her marriage to Bothwell. In hopes of securing her freedom and of capturing Elizabeth's throne, Mary began to communicate clandestinely with English Catholics and her European allies. Using her claim to the English throne as leverage, she began to look for a fourth husband who would free her, overthrow Elizabeth and rule at her side. Eventually Elizabeth was forced to have Mary executed in 1587.
Her execution led Phillip of Spain to launch the armada against England in 1588. Mary was never able to sit on the throne of England as Queen. However, since 1603 all the monarchs of England have been her direct descendants. She is buried in Westminster Abbey in London, a city she never saw while alive.

"Mary Queen of Scots" by Antonia Fraser is an extremely informative, well-researched account of the tragic life of the infamous Scots' queen. She (Fraser) managed to dispel many myths about Mary Stuart and did a wonderful job of transporting the reader back to the age of the Renaissance. I have only two "negative" comments to make about this otherwise excellent narrative: first, the author has an extensive vocabulary and I recommend keeping a dictionary nearby. Secondly, the author tends to assume that her readers already know who certain people are without ever actually "introducing" them to the reader; she also fails to offer definitions or descriptions of many of the everyday, 16th century items that she mentions throughout the book; again, a dictionary will probably be needed in order to identify what these items were and what they were used for; again, she just assumes that the reader is already familiar with these things. Other than that, I highly recommend this most wonderful book.

I read Lady Antonia Fraser's book "Mary Queen of Scots" some time ago. It is a fascinating biography of one of England's most tragic figures. This account leaves one question; did Elizabeth I, really want to execute her because she posed a dangerous threat to the throne, or was she simply afraid not to? Most all accounts have Elizabeth struggling with what to do with Mary, Queen of Scots. We will never really find out for sure, but it was a sad life she struggled with even though her son, James, ascended the throne after Elizabeth Tudor left no issue. A very good read and the reader will learn much.

The research and quotes used throughout this work seem well documented, and the premise seems sound...that James the VI and I was maligned due to the antagonism of court intriguers who were ousted as favorites with his reign, and who had strong prejudices against the "uncivilized Scots" Anyone with any experience of the literature and sensibilities of the times would recognize that the sentimentality and expressions of love that were purported to be the evidence of James' homosexuality were absolutely normal and common speech of the times. However, I object to the homophobic tone that the writer pursues, as if such accusations were the most evil thing one could say of another, and I find the organization and arguments to be rambling and excessively repetitious. The author could have used a strong editor with a red pencil. The theme could have been fully discussed in an article of magazine length, rather than a $15 book.

While King James has often been accused by both secular and Christian history as a man of ill repute, little has been offered in his defense. However, Unjustly Accused? certainly has defended the honor of this king, central to both politics and religion, in a more than adequate manner. While admitting his flaws, the book also emphasizes his accomplishments as a king, as a father, and as a man.

At the end of this biography, the author aptly summarizes King James as "the most human of our kings." James VI and I was a complex, contradictory, and altogether fascinating character. His life is worthy of study; that said, I do not recommend this particular book.

It is well researched and not without intriguing tidbits, but the writing style provides too serious a distraction to study. It is exceedingly disjointed. Paragraphs are strings of often unrelated and badly sequenced sentences, full of odd digressions. The narrative does not flow any better as it moves from one paragraph to another. The prose itself lacks clarity. Misplaced modifiers are common, punctuation is dubious, and a careless use of pronouns often creates confusion.

What I found most distressing about this book was its consistently salacious tone. It lingers on the king's alleged homosexuality, his coarse sense of humor, and his interest in other people's sexual activities. The author's voice provides an apt frame for this portrayal. At one point he describes Lady Frances, wife of Robert Carr, as follows: "She was beautiful, but her portrait at Woburn reveals her sensuality and depravity. Beneath the curves of her dress can be seen her breasts, ripe and luscious." The reader must wade through a great deal of this.

If you are looking for a solid biography, I recommend Lady Antonia Fraser's book. It is out of print and difficult to obtain, but worth the effort.