A political doctrine defending monarchial absolutism

Kings derived power and authority from God

Belief that God had chosen him to rule and that it was his Divine Right to rule over England

James I and the Protestant majority saw the plot as a treasonous attack against God’s chosen king and a sin against divine order

In 1605, a year before the play was written

A plot by Catholics to assassinate the new king

Intention: blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament (5 November 1605), kill the king and government, and replace him with a Catholic monarch (James’s daughter Elizabeth)

Message: that God's law (Catholicism) should rule over the land, not Protestant tyranny that oppressed them

James I survived this plot and his attitude towards Catholics became harsher

Originally the King James IV of Scotland

Came into power of England as well when Queen Elizabeth died without a heir

Believed that James I was usurping the throne

Saw him as an imposter

King James was a Protestant whose mother Queen Mary of Scots has been a devout Catholic

Catholics expected him to be tolerant of their religious beliefs

Instead, James I continued and reinforced anti-Catholic laws: Catholics couldn’t legally practice their faith, hold government jobs, or even attend Mass

Many faced fines, imprisonment, or worse

Very unpopular with the Catholics

Complex and ultimately tragic relationship

They never saw each other again after James was a year old since Mary was forced to abdicate the throne for James

James's relationship with his mother was further complicated by Mary's attempts to regain her Scottish throne, which would have threatened his own kingship over Scotland

Mary was beheaded in 1587 while James was 21

Gunpowder plot

Gunpowder plot

Scottish context of Macbeth to match James I's background

The "righteous" character in Macbeth, Banquo, is said to one day have sons that will inherit the throne

One is said to carry a double sceptre (which meant rule over two countries), hinting at James I as a descendant of a righteous man who was rightfully king

Macbeth as a defense of James I's right to rule, cautioning those with intent to kill him for ambition (with implication that they will face a fate similar to Macbeth)

The plotters thought they were defending divine authority by trying to replace a Protestant king with a Catholic monarch

To them, the true “Divine Right” belonged to a ruler who followed the “true faith” (Catholicism) and not a Protestant king who persecuted Catholics

book written by the King about the trials

shared the King's beliefs in witchcraft

provided justification for witch hunts and trials

played a role in spreading fear of witchcraft

was a first step towards legitimising the trials and executions of accused witches.

King James’ was personally afraid of witchcraft

his belief in its power led to a significant increase in witch hunts during his reign

Both in Scotland and later in England, his influence encouraged courts and religious leaders to pursue and prosecute suspected witches more aggressively

In Scotland especially, the period under his rule saw some of the most intense waves of witch hunting

Driven by King James' pro witch-hunt stance

began in 1590 and were among the first major witchcraft prosecutions in Scotland

The accused were said to have plotted to kill King James by raising storms to sink his ship as he returned from Denmark with his new wife

King James personally took an interest in the trials, attended interrogations, and even believed that the witches had targeted him specifically

These experiences solidified his belief in a conspiracy of witches working against him

King James officially adopted Shakespeare’s company not long after assuming the English throne. —> the Lord Chamberlain’s Men became known as the King’s Men.

Therefore, Shakespeare’s plays often had much flattery for the king.

Shakespeare largely referenced King James’ demonology when creating the witches in Macbeth

the play is set in Scotland which draws to King James’ roots

the play emphasis the Divine Right of Kings and also acts as a warning to those who go against the King