King James VI and I and the Reunion of Christendom

by W. B. Patterson

Overview

This is a historical study of the career of King James VI and I, as king of Scotland (1567-1625) and England (1603-1625), who achieved a union of the crowns as the first king of Great Britain, and who undertook to end the recurring religious wars. His peacemaking by diplomatic means was complemented by his efforts to foster closer relations among the churches. The peace that he helped to maintain by these initiatives, though cut short by the coming of the Thirty Years' War, was immensely beneficial both to Britain and to the other countries of Europe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521418058
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/08/1998
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History
Pages:	430
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.29(h) x 1.46(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Scottish reconciler; 2. Call for an ecumenical council; 3. Oath of allegiance; 4. Foreign visitors; 5. The Synod of Tonneins; 6. Relations with the Greek Orthodox Church; 7. Marco Antonio De Dominis; 8. The Synod of Dort; 9. Outbreak of the Thirty Years' War; 10. Last years and conclusion; Bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

"This is a book...which contributes substantially to the ongoing rehabilitation of the dreamer. ...this is...a book which will define its particular subject for a long time." The Virginia Quarterly Review

"...weightily documented and authoritative in style, Patterson's study is most convincing of all in its admiration of James...." Church Times

"Even though the work is scholarly, it is quite readable and would be enjoyable to anyone interested in church history. ...this account of his goals and his dedication in spite of disappointments is somehow quite contemporary. This book can be read as history or as a bridge from the past into the world of today." Charlotte Booth, The Living Church

"While Patterson's main audience is other scholars of the late Elizabethan, Jacobean, and early Caroline period, his prose is so lucid and his narrative so clear that general readers, if they ignore the footnotes, will enjoy and learn much from this book." Ronald A. Rebholz, The American Oxonian

"In the era of the 180-page monograph so favored by cost-conscious publishers today, scholars will be grateful to Patterson (and Cambridge University Press) for the comprehensiveness of this work. If at times Patterson seems determined to share every detail he has uncovered, or repeats himself unnecessarily, this is nevertheless a book which will define its particular subject for a long time." Michael F. Graham, The Virginia Quarterly Review

"This is a substantial and interesting book on James VI and I as religious reconciler and political peacemaker....it is an important addition to the efforts to revise our historical judgement of James's reign....Patterson has written an impressive volume. His sure-footed use of extensive primary sources is very impressive, as is his analysis of James's theories and theology, and the ways in which they shaped the kin's policies and actions. This book is welcome and valuable contribution to the historical rehabilitation of James VI and I as a theologian and statesman." Caroline Litzenberger, West Virginia Shakespeare and Renaissance Association

"W.B. Pattersons' erudite, interesting, and valuable book contributes to two waves of current historiographical activity." Jerrold Seigel, American Historical Review

"Patterson's careful scholarship makes this book an important contribution to the study of both theology and diplomacy in seventeenth-century Europe. The book offers thorough discussions of several of the period's thorniest questions of doctrine and international relations. It also fits nicely into recent scholarship on James himself, revising perceptions of him in a more positive direction." Catherine Patterson, Anglican Theological Review

"This important, scholarly book is the latest contribution to the series, Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History. It should also be noted that the book is written in a style and with a felicity that is admirable." John Booty, Sewanee Theological Review

"...this work helpfully breaks new ground in understanding key dimensions of James's reign..." Trinity Journal

From the Publisher