Henry Stuart Lord DARNLEY

Henry married Mary Stuart Queen Of SCOTS on 29 Jul 1565 in Palace of Holyroodhouse. Mary (daughter of James V King Of SCOTLAND and Marie Of GUISE) was born on 08 Dec 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothian; died on 08 Feb 1587. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 24 Mar 1603, Acceded
• Fact 1: 25 Jul 1603, Crowned at Westminster Abbey

Notes:

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When James ascended the English throne in 1603, he had already been king of Scotland for 36 years. There, he had ruled by the Divine Right of Kings - whereby kings were appointed by God and so were not answerable to men. This style of government was unacceptable inEngland, so he ruled for long periods without Parliament. He thus squandered the legacy of strong government left to him by Elizabeth I.

The two principal favourites of James I were, in succession, Robert Ker and George Villiers. Ker, Earl of Somerset, was entrusted with the King's most intimate business. He angered the nation by encouraging the King to make an alliance with Spain, and by helping to raise dubious taxes. By 1616 the King had taken to Villiers, who became Earl of Buckingham.

The Gunpowder Plot was hatched by conspirators disgruntled with the King's failure to grant toleration of Catholics. they planned to blow up the House of Lords when the King came for the opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605. they dug a tunnel under the House of Lords and filled a cellar with barrels of gunpowder. However, he plot was foiled when one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, was discovered in the cellar with the gunpowder. the conspirators were arrested, tried, and executed.

Although well educated, James appeared foolish, and was known as the 'wisest fool in Christendom'.

James married Anne Of DENMARK on 23 Nov 1589. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]