The Mirror of Great Britain

A major reassessment of one of Britain's most important monarchs.

The Mirror of Great Britain explores the life of James VI & I, who died 400 years ago. He was one of Britain's most consequential and interesting monarchs, renowned for creating the British monarchy itself by uniting the English and Scottish thrones. A major intellectual figure, James's interests ranged from witchcraft and theological controversy to hunting, diplomacy, poetry, and sartorial fashion. The Mirror of Great Britain was a spectacular jewel symbolising James's vision of British union, while mirrors — with their capacity to magnify, illuminate, and distort — were among his favourite literary metaphors.

Ruler of Scotland for nearly four decades before ascending to the English throne in 1603, James was a 'cradle king' whose reigns witnessed extraordinary dramas, including his abduction in the 'Ruthven Raid' in 1582 and his attempted assassination in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. During his lifetime, James frequently defied contemporaries' expectations, and posthumously, his reputation has often been marred by crude stereotypes.

Clare Jackson's compelling new book, with close attention to James's own words through numerous publications, manuscript musings, topical verse, and private correspondence, vividly recounts the story of this highly unusual monarch with great flair and insight.