years abroad and became a court musician for James in 1612. James also kept a cadre of composers at court, among them Robert Johnson, Thomas Campion, and Alfonso Ferrabosco II. The king commissioned numerous new buildings and appointed Inigo Jones, a noted architect as well as a theatrical designer, as surveyor of his works. Jones had recently toured Italy, where he closely studied the works of the venerated Italian architect Palladio. Jones subsequently designed several major edifices including the Queen’s House in Greenwich, a Palladio-influenced structure The Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace now considered one of the most important buildings in the history of British architecture. He also built the magnificent Banqueting House in the Palace of Whitehall, with ceilings painted by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens. © User: Thorvaldsson to Prince Henry and sergeant-painter to the king. And William Larkin earned a reputation for capturing the opulent attire worn by members of James’s court in careful detail. Today, James I is best remembered for the immense scholarly and artistic achievement that bears his name: the King James Bible. Four hundred years after it was first issued, it remains the bestselling book of all time. Commissioned by the king under pressure from the Puritans, it is Nicholas Hilliard’s selfportrait, 1577 a work of simplicity and majesty that permeates everyday English, much like the language of <strong>Shakespeare</strong>. “The salt of the earth,” “a labor of love,” “as old as the hills,” “the signs of the times,” “a drop in the bucket,” “skin of your teeth,” “give up the ghost,” “an eye for an eye”—these and countless other phrases come straight from the King James Bible. © The Yorck Project Like Rubens, the most prominent visual artists of the day were not English, but some native sons made their mark. Englishman Nicholas Hilliard, a renowned goldsmith and painter of miniatures, created the magnificent Lyte Jewel, a diamond-encrusted, enameled gold locket featuring a miniature portrait of the king. Robert Peake the Elder served as portraitist THE GUNPOWDER PLOT Although James I was a convinced Protestant, he was mostly tolerant regarding religion. His mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, had been a devout Catholic (which contributed to her eventual MAJOR EVENTS IN THE REIGN OF JAMES I july 25, 1603 1611 Coronation of James brokers Death of James's March 24, James I January peace between November 5, Guy Fawkes King James Bible eldest son, june 29, 1603 of England 1604 England and Spain 1605 executed completed Prince Henry 1613 Elizabeth I dies James authorizes a new translation of the Bible 1604 Gunpowder Plot foiled january 31, James dissolves November 6, 1606 Parliament after disagreement 1612 about his income The Globe theatre burns down (rebuilt a year later) 4 5 <strong>Shakespeare</strong> -Kings Man_booklet_12_17.indd 6-7 12/17/12 5:27 PM