The political thought of James VI has always been associated witn the divine right of kingship. However, the theory of divine kingship is merely one feature of his thought. James primarily developed his ideas under the influence of political realism that he encounterea in his youth. He then incorporated various elements of religious reformers' views and Renaissance humanism into his thought for the purpose of constructing strong kingship, which could not be threatened by any other entity.
In this paper, I examine the historical context that influenced the development of James' thought and the characteristics of his thought—the obedience theory, Renaissance humanism, and political realism.