Members' Lecture: The Mirror of Great Britain

The 'Mirror of Great Britain' was a spectacular jewel that gave symbolic endorsement to James VI & I's vision of British union.

James, who died 400 years ago, was one of Britain’s most consequential and interesting monarchs, not least in creating the British monarchy itself but by joining the English and Scottish thrones. James's preoccupations ranged from witchcraft and theological controversy to hunting, diplomacy, poetry and sartorial fashion.

Ruler of Scotland for nearly four decades before his accession to the English throne in 1603, his long reign encompassed some extraordinary dramas. In his lifetime James often confounded contemporaries’ expectations, while his posthumous reputation has been distorted by crude stereotypes.

Closely attentive to James’s own words - in numerous publications, manuscript musings, topical verse and private correspondence - Clare Jackson tells the story of this highly unusual monarch. 

About the speaker

Clare Jackson is Honorary Professor of Early Modern History at Cambridge University and a Fellow of Trinity Hall. She has presented a number of highly successful programmes on the Stuart dynasty for the BBC and is the author of Devil-Land: England under Siege 1588-1688 (2021), which won the 2022 Wolfson History Prize.

Not already a Member?

Join today for a host of exclusive benefits and events, including unlimited free entry to Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory, and special exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum.

With Membership starting from as little as £65, what are you waiting for? Membership is your time to explore!