not gonna lie you are the most exciting celebrity I've ever had in my comments! IF WE WERE VILLAINS is so exactly tailored to my interests and so beautifully done! not going to make it weird, I promise, but big fan over here 💜
YESSS god, James I/VI is one of the weirdest people to have any knowledge of, and I never shut up about him (do I hate him? yes. but I wrote an essay about his love life years ago and the knowledge never left.) When Esme Stuart died (cough, murdered, I think) his embalmed heart was sent to James which... straight behaviour, I'm sure. Very fun Dirtbags newsletter as always :D
I knew some of eccentricities, scandals, and blunders of King James, but this article is such a funny and informative piece of historical writing! John Florio (My substack's page) worked for both Queen Anne and King James, and working on his manuscripts and documents, I often stumble upon letters that the italian ambassadors wrote to Florio, and they often add unfelicitous descriptions of the King ( I remember a Florentine ambassador describing the King "caring not much about his country and always busy go hunting and playing cards")
I feel like a missed opportunity to point out the whole bible thing was likely an expensive tactic to get the Bible to say that he was king because God.
Just to exclaim how very much I love this post and we haven't even got to all the Overbury sleazy murdery stuff yet. I once wrote half a historical novel about Jamey Six - it petered out after NaNoWriMo, but I did get this slightly humorous blog post out of it: https://www.nysoclib.org/blog/hell-go-posterity-guy-fawkes-stacks.
I did a whole dissertation chapter that's the Macbeth portion of this if you feel like delegating. In any case, enjoyed this tremendously.
not gonna lie you are the most exciting celebrity I've ever had in my comments! IF WE WERE VILLAINS is so exactly tailored to my interests and so beautifully done! not going to make it weird, I promise, but big fan over here 💜
Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for reading, and hopefully we cross paths someday.
YESSS god, James I/VI is one of the weirdest people to have any knowledge of, and I never shut up about him (do I hate him? yes. but I wrote an essay about his love life years ago and the knowledge never left.) When Esme Stuart died (cough, murdered, I think) his embalmed heart was sent to James which... straight behaviour, I'm sure. Very fun Dirtbags newsletter as always :D
AND James carted the heart around in a box for the rest of his life, which is both maximum romantic and maximum ewwww.
Ever since the Doctor Who Witchfinder General episode, I automatically picture Alan Cumming. Perfect casting.
I majored in history and we used to amuse ourselves by writing limericks about this guy. We would totes have invited you to coffee.
GOD these men are so insecure I will never be tired of reading about them
I want to keep 📖 it
Very funny article, and an awful man. But his ability to survive and thrive is awesome.
I knew some of eccentricities, scandals, and blunders of King James, but this article is such a funny and informative piece of historical writing! John Florio (My substack's page) worked for both Queen Anne and King James, and working on his manuscripts and documents, I often stumble upon letters that the italian ambassadors wrote to Florio, and they often add unfelicitous descriptions of the King ( I remember a Florentine ambassador describing the King "caring not much about his country and always busy go hunting and playing cards")
Amazing. Almost makes me regret giving up history in 2nd year.
This is so great! When are you going to to start in on the Romans?
So freaking funny and well written! Subscribed!
I feel like a missed opportunity to point out the whole bible thing was likely an expensive tactic to get the Bible to say that he was king because God.
I am dyyyyying.
Just to exclaim how very much I love this post and we haven't even got to all the Overbury sleazy murdery stuff yet. I once wrote half a historical novel about Jamey Six - it petered out after NaNoWriMo, but I did get this slightly humorous blog post out of it: https://www.nysoclib.org/blog/hell-go-posterity-guy-fawkes-stacks.
I love these messy bitches! It's like old tyme-y reality TV!