James I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland.

James I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland. James (1566-1625) became King of Scotland in 1567 and England in 1603. The son of Mary Queen of Scots, James VI of Scotland became the first of the Stuart monarchs on the English throne when Elizabeth I died. A Protestant, his policies towards Catholics led to the Gunpowder Plot, and his belief in the absolute power of the monarchy led to increasing friction with Parliament, which would culminate in civil war in the reign of his son and successor, Charles I. Culture, particularly literature, flourished during James' reign, with the work of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Francis Bacon particularly notable, as well as the production of the King James Bible. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)