Was James I of England a good king?

[Savonarola]

I was listening to a series of lectures on modern Western political thought.  The professor begins with a brief discussion about Francis Bacon before moving on to a more serious discussion about Thomas Hobbes; but also gives an explanation of the historic context that led to the Protectorate and the formation of Hobbes's thought.  In that he described James I as "A disaster," but really didn't give any specifics as to why.  I'm curious if Languish would agree.

[Eddie Teach]

He made a good bible.

[The Minsky Moment]

Define good.

Robert Cecil was an effective chief minister, his successors not so much.  James managed to steer clear of embroiling his kingdoms into war, much to their benefit.  "Disaster" seems extreme.

[The Brain]

The professor is probably a witch.

[Sheilbh]

I'd say good.

I think there's a version where a lot of the tensions and divisions that explode in the war derive from James' reign and he has a lot of similar leanings of a very liturgical/sacramental version of religion, lots of favourites, leanings towards a more absolutist political vision. But I think all of that is true but James managed to balance those tensions of two kingdoms, two churches, rising Puritan force in religion and politics against his own political direction in a way that Charles never managed but that I think was actually quite impressive.

My view is the tensions were more driven by divisions within his kingdoms over religion, politics, class etc than by his personal politics and he broadly managed to balance them against each other. In part because he was actually relatively tolerant for an early modern monarch and tolerated religious and political difference in his kingdoms to a pretty impressive degree.

Like Elizabeth he was peaceful and avoided big expensive foreign interventions beyond the resources of the crown (which is partly why he could manage those interests).

[Admiral Yi]

He's pretty much an unknown entity to me.  All I know is Spud played him in the Kate Blanchett movie.

He's the one who got Gloriously Revolutionized, tight?

[Sheilbh]

Nope. This is James I of Engand and VI of Scotland, Charles I's dad, succeeded Elizabeth. "The wisest fool in Christendom" and probably gay.

That's James II.

[Savonarola]

He's pretty much an unknown entity to me.  All I know is Spud played him in the Kate Blanchett movie.

He's the one who got Gloriously Revolutionized, tight?

No, that was James II; James I was the first one who was both King of Scotland  (as James VI) and England.  He's also the one for whom the King James Version of the bible and the Jacobean period are named.

Edit:  Too late

[Habbaku]

Like Elizabeth he was peaceful

But yes, describing James as "a disaster" is bewildering.

[Syt]

Was James I the one who had the bible translated to prove his faith, and so the church wouldn't bother him and his gay lover? Or was that a Martinus fantasy?

[Richard Hakluyt]

He was mediocre or good; I would incline towards good for similar reasons to what others have stated. I can't see disaster at all 

[The Brain]

I'm curious, how did the professor describe Charles I?

[Sheilbh]

I'm curious, how did the professor describe Charles I?

Oh - is he a "Charles, King and Martyr" type ()? A little underwhelmed by James' timid embrace of absolutism and crypto-Popery.

But yes, describing James as "a disaster" is bewildering.

Peaceful/defensive maybe better? No desperately expensive interventions on the continent.

[Sheilbh]

Was James I the one who had the bible translated to prove his faith, and so the church wouldn't bother him and his gay lover? Or was that a Martinus fantasy?

That's Marty's fantasy

He probably was gay (acknowledging the difficulty of pushing that term into the past) - he certainly had lots of favourites etc. I don't really think that really motivated his translation of the bible and I don't think the Supreme Governor of the Church has to do anything to stop them bothering him, he can just tell them to stop.

[Richard Hakluyt]

He fathered children and seemed to like young men, I would just leave it at that.