Book Review: "Queen James" by Gareth Russell (Pt. 3)

Whilst Robert Carr is climbling the social ladder, Anne of Denmark is surely getting the short end of the stick. Gareth Russell's darkly colourful book about the reign of James I is definitely looking more melancholic now as we are on the road to Prince Henry's demise. He writes this by establishing that the court was still in intrigue and gossip about the favourites. But of course, Henry was getting sicker and sicker. He had contracted a horrific illness which made his mother and father knowingly very anxious as he was the heir apparent.

Unfortunately, Prince Henry died and even though Gareth Russell gives us details of the death - we in fact get more details about James' screaming, Anne's sobbing and the dark sadness of mourning for the young prince. From the ringing of the church bells signalling death to the strain of relationships and when Anne locked herself away, there is a depression that is overcast now. A deep grief which seems to also end with Anne getting gout as well.

Thomas Overbury is trying to gain influence in court and yet, he cannot seem to break through. Gareth Russell describes court politics as various windows of opportunity with, unfortunately, some very questionable opportunists. There were families who had stepped in when Overbury was absent and got themselves set up with the King. Gareth Russell basically explains this as people borrowing money from other people as the palace continues to go broke through James' spending habits. The more people could offer in terms of money to fix the country's finances, the closer they were in favour. And that was the simple way of doing things.

Thomas Overbury's death was something of a nightmare. He was first locked in the Tower of London (something you can read about in my review of The Hidden History of the Tower of London as well). Gareth Russell then explains that he was slowly poisoned after the man looking after him in jail was bribed. He was trying to recover and so, the medications he was taking to do so were poisoned as well. Eventually he died in agony. It was absolutely horrific. James told the Privy Council that they must ask all the relevant questions regarding the death of Thomas Overbury and spare nobody. Again, Gareth Russell writes this as a dark and strange time, coated in intrigue and dishonesty.

But after the fall of Robert and his imprisonment, another favourite started to rise from nowhere. A favourite we all know too well from The Scapegoat by Lucy Hallett-Hughes. Yes, it is George Villiers - Master of the Horse and Duke of Buckingham. Gareth Russell's narrative regarding Buckingham is a lot more generous than I thought it would be with starting with the fact that he was pretty much a simple favourite - but then again, we know full well that he was the King's lover. Then again, we are also met with the friendship between Charles and Buckingham - as we were with Hallett-Hughes' book, there are many adventures both domestic and international that they attend to, both with and without the knowledge of the King.

However, Anna was unwell and so, Gareth Russell's writing turns sour and dark again. It's almost like watching a drama in which when there is something like (here we see) a comet passing over the palace. It is seen as an omen that someone will die. Someone with position. It was said to either be the Queen or the King. James was drinking very heavily and had bad health, but Anna was not doing so well in terms of health either. It is here that the Queen dies in a cold February with her son at her side. Charles had a nervous breakdown. James is said to have fallen to his knees and the late Queen's mourning period had began. In Anna's death, there was a strange knowledge that the fall of this house was coming and coming fast. Gareth Russell describes Anna as a clever woman and the perfect politician for the time - giving her the status of one of the greatest and most successful queens in English history.

It is later that James starts to decline. He had been King ever since he was a child and during these declining years, Gareth Russell looks back on the life of the King as being complicated. Though he was a pacificist he didn't mind being at least prepared for war. His peaceful nature brought a prosperity and stability to Scotland but became shaky once he acquired the crown of England. People around him from his reign start dying and the King himself is becoming sicker and sicker. Of course there was that strange rumour that George Villiers (Buckingham) had killed the king by accident (or on purpose if you believe the gossip) through poisoning. Gareth Russell doesn't get dark and melancholic here, but rather the narrative slows down and becomes quiet and sad.

This book is a brilliant example of the great writing and atmospheric abilities of Gareth Russell that we saw displayed in The Palace as well. Upon James' death there are prayers, descriptions regarding the moon and much more. It was such a great read and if you're interested in this era of history then you cannot think about skipping over it.