James I was a writer

He stands apart from other kings since he published literature and left it behind. One of the interesting facts about James I is that he wrote at least two books of poetry in addition to other political writings and two political essays on the concept of the divine right of monarchs.

In addition to the political issues he left for his son Charles, James left a body of writings that, although being of poor literary quality, give him the distinction of being the only English king since Alfred. Among these books, The True Law of Free Monarchies (1598) and Basilikon Doron (1599), two political treatises in which he outlined his ideas on the king's divine prerogative, stand out. Charles Howard McIlwain edited The Political Works of James I in its 1616 edition (1918). James Craigie edited The Poems of James VI of Scotland (2 vol.) between 1955 and 1958. James was also credited with overseeing the King James Version, a new official English translation of the Bible that was published in 1611.