A King Translated: The Writings of King James VI and I and their Interpretation in the Low Countries, 1593–1603, by Astrid Stilma

Abstract

The writings of James VI and I have only recently received sustained attention. Historians once dismissed Basilikon Doron and True Lawe of Free Monarchies as minor contributions to absolutist theory, while James’s poetry was seen as mere doggerel, lacking any real political significance. More recently, the late Kevin Sharpe and others have analysed the full range of James’s voluminous writings, arguing that they should be seen as ‘performances’ through which the King represented his authority. While we now have a much deeper understanding of the ways in which James sought to shape perceptions of himself and his policies, the analysis of his writings and their reception have tended to stop at the boundaries of the British Isles. James’s works were widely translated and read on the Continent, but how did the act of translation shape their meaning? Did they represent an officially orchestrated attempt to project a favourable image of the King abroad? If so, how could he hope to appeal simultaneously to such a diverse range of domestic and foreign audiences? These are some of the questions that Astrid Stilma’s monograph seeks to answer.