The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I

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James VI and I has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated and analysed Tudor and Stuart forebears.

But who was he really To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him

In this new biography, Jamess story is laid bare, and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of James VI and I as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international, and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign.

Author Bio

Steven Veerapen was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Mauritian father. He graduated with 1st Class Honours from the University of Strathclyde and was awarded a PhD in 2014 He is currently teaching associate in English at Strathclyde. In addition to his academic work, he has also written a number of historical novels, and his crime mysteries featuring Anthony Blanke, set in Tudor England, is published by Polygon.