King James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland, was a much underrated monarch. After surviving the Gunpowder Plot, he held on to both his thrones, dying of natural causes at the age of 58: more than 20 years above the average of the time.
This may not seem all the remarkable, until you look at his family tree.
His father …
… was blown up.
His mother – Mary Queen of Scots …
… had to abdicate, and was later beheaded.
His son – Charles I …
… didn’t abdicate, but was beheaded.
And as for the other King Jameses of Scotland?
James I was murdered.
James II was killed by an exploding cannon.
James III …
… James IV …
… and James V …
all died during or soon after battles.
James VII …
… was driven into exile when his daughter and son-in-law (who was also his nephew) took arms against him.
Jamestown, Virginia, was named after the King James who survived. I visited it in the year of its 400th anniversary. Most of its early inhabitants were as lucky as the other Jameses.
