Wormald: Difference Between King James I And Scottish King

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Wormald argues that there was a notable difference between the English King James I and Scottish King James VI, and the key to understanding this difference is understanding the nature of Scottish kingship in comparison to English kingship. Underlying the transformation of James VI to James I was the fear of his subjects; the Scots feared that his accession to the English crown would lead to their neglect, while the English simply feared and hated the Scottish people. The xenophobia of the English towards the Scots, solidified in the writings of Anthony Weldon, influenced later attitudes towards James I, and can help to explain the marked difference in English and Scottish accounts of James as king. However, Wormald asserts that xenophobia …show more content…

Wormald rejects the view that the English and Scottish institutions were vastly different. While Wormald acknowledges a difference in the level of sophistication, with English institutions achieving a higher level than similar Scottish institutions, Wormald does not believe this hindered the workings of the Scottish government. Wormald goes on to suggest that its simplicity actually increased its effectiveness in comparison to the over-complicated English system. Wormald emphasises the importance of a strong Parliament for James' authority, especially in the face of an increasingly political nobility and hostile church (kirk). The kirk is cited by Wormald as the most dangerous threat to James, and she believes James expended considerable effort in attempting to control the kirk. The key to his success in controlling church and state, according to Wormald, was personal intervention in political arenas, which allowed him to maintain an equilibrium and play factions against each other, eventually resulting in James' desired outcome. However, Wormald argues that the accession to James I changed the Scottish government by increasing the interaction of the central government with the localities through regular taxation, and increasing competition for

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