Which English king, son of Mary Queen of Scots, upheld the divine right and faced noble opposition?

Which English king, son of Mary Queen of Scots, upheld the divine right and faced noble opposition?

• A. James I
• B. Charles I
• C. Oliver Cromwell
• D. William III

Answer: (A)

James I, who was born James VI of Scotland and was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, fits this description. He became king of England in 1603 and carried the belief in the divine right of kings—that monarchs ruled by God’s authority and were not to be constrained by the will of Parliament. This view led him to push royal prerogatives and seek taxes and revenues with limited parliamentary approval, which brought him into frequent clashes with the English nobility and elected representatives. The tension between asserting absolute authority and negotiating with a powerful nobility is the type of noble opposition highlighted in the question. The other options don’t line up with the clue about being Mary Queen of Scots’ son: Charles I was James I’s son, not Mary’s; Oliver Cromwell was not a king at all, and William III ruled later and was not Mary Queen of Scots’ son.

James I, who was born James VI of Scotland and was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, fits this description. He became king of England in 1603 and carried the belief in the divine right of kings—that monarchs ruled by God’s authority and were not to be constrained by the will of Parliament. This view led him to push royal prerogatives and seek taxes and revenues with limited parliamentary approval, which brought him into frequent clashes with the English nobility and elected representatives. The tension between asserting absolute authority and negotiating with a powerful nobility is the type of noble opposition highlighted in the question.

The other options don’t line up with the clue about being Mary Queen of Scots’ son: Charles I was James I’s son, not Mary’s; Oliver Cromwell was not a king at all, and William III ruled later and was not Mary Queen of Scots’ son.