On March 24, 1603, Elizabeth I died at Richmond Palace at the age of 69. According to legend, when courtiers pressed her on her deathbed to name her heir, she made a vague gesture indicating James. In truth, Cecil and the Privy Council were already prepared. They immediately proclaimed James VI of S

James Stuart was born in 1566 to Mary, Queen of Scots, and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Through Darnley, James was doubly descended from Henry VII of England, giving him an even stronger claim. When his mother was forced to abdicate in 1567, the infant James became King of Scotlan

In March 1603, the long reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England came to an end. With her death, the Tudor dynasty, which had ruled England since 1485, died with her. The uncertainty surrounding the succession had haunted English politics for decades—who would inherit the throne after the childle

Robert Cecil died in 1612, worn out by years of unrelenting political pressure. King James, who leaned heavily on Cecil’s counsel, lamented his loss. The realm mourned the passing of the man who had kept it secure through the reigns of two monarchs. Historians today largely credit Cecil wit