His Majesty, The Witchfinder
James VI of Scotland would become James I of England with his coronation on 25th July 1603 and in doing so he would unite the kingdoms of Scotland and England. For those in England who were wondering what to expect from their new king, then there were clues from his reign in Scotland. One thing was certain though, he would bring his belief in witchcraft with him.
James’s fascination with the dark arts of witchcraft can be pinpointed to his travels to Denmark, the homeland of his future bride Anne. She was meant to travel from Denmark to be with her groom but during her journey across the North Sea, a storm gathered. For her own safety, her ship was delayed. James, eager for news and marry Anne, travelled to Denmark himself.
Married in Denmark, James made the decision to stay until the winter had passed and that the conditions for a safe journey were clear. He was not idle whilst in Denmark. He believed himself to be an intellectual open-minded monarch and was keen to discover more about his new wife and the culture from which she was from. What he discovered would change the course of his reign not only in Scotland but also in England. Witch-hunting was common in Denmark. He would meet demonologist…
