Is James I an Underrated King?
Dan Snow's History Hit
History Hit
4.7 • 12.9K Ratings
🗓️ 24 July 2025
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We dive into the reign of the first Stuart monarch of England, his political savvy, and the controversies that shaped his rule. From the Gunpowder Plot to the King James Bible, we ask whether history has judged him too harshly - or not harshly enough.
Historian, author and broadcaster Anna Whitelock joins us for a fresh take on the man who united the crowns of England and Scotland.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025!
To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!
Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.
We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.
You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].
Transcript
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| 0:34.3 | Hi folks, Dan here. I have some very, very exciting news for you. |
| 0:38.8 | To celebrate our 10th anniversary with you, we are doing a live show of Dan Snow's history hit the first for a very, very long time. So please join me on Friday |
| 0:43.6 | the 12th of September in London Town. By popular demand, I'll be retelling the story of the legend |
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| 1:11.3 | questions you may have. So don't miss it. It's going to be an epic party and there is no one I'd |
| 1:15.7 | rather spend it with. All of you, dedicated listeners. You can get tickets at the link in the show |
| 1:19.8 | notes, but hurry because they are selling fast. See you there. |
| 1:32.3 | Hi, everybody. Welcome to Dan Snow's history hit. By some accounts, King James I of England, |
| 1:39.7 | the sixth of Scotland, was a sort of ludicrous king. He was stereotyped as dull and uncharismatic, |
| 1:45.9 | obsessed with strange, pedantic, religious and philosophical debates, and toilet humour, and more interested in witchcraft than the traditional pursuits of a king, which is basically going to war |
| 1:49.8 | against your enemies, and making an even grander and more expansive realm. |
... |
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