What would be the best way to describe who he was?

Soft and coddled man. However, he was not a fool, but more of a peaceful person. He had a penchant for pleasure, but he was also a family man, and loved his wife very much. He had a very interesting upbringing, one example is being kidnapped by Scottish clans and not having much of a royal power in Scotland which forced him to be more diplomatic than militaristic.

What was his most important achievement?

He was a patron of the arts, not to mention very much a writer. His books on ruling is of particular interest and shows that he is a very learned person. Not to mention he commissioned KJV of the Bible, which is still widely used today and held in high regards.

What are some of his successes and failures?

He kept his countries out of the war that was raging in Europe and began the seeds of colonization that would lead to British dominance. He was also very much interested in uniting the British isles under one rule which would be accomplished in 1707. His biggest failures are failing to curb the spending of the court, which would result in the crown constantly being in debt and failing to really groom Charles for the crown after the death of his son Henry. Charles' rule was a disaster and one of the reasons why the Stuart dynasty was so ridiculed and hated by the English.

Generally, was he a like person or a hated person and why exactly?

He was very much loved and especially benefited greatly from general anti catholic sentiment. One example is from the Gunpowder plot, which showed general outpour of love and support for the King, who was very nearly killed. This popularity also enabled James to get more money from the Parliament. England also benefited greatly from staying in peace while the rest of Europe dragged on through the Thirty Years War, which further contributed to his popularity.

How powerful was he?

His desire for absolute rule constantly clashed with the Parliament. However, he was careful not to cross over the line. I think the most correct statement would be that he didnt necessarily desire power, but thought he should have it simply because he was a king. However he didnt really force the issue to the point Charles or James II did.

Was there any family scandals that he was wrapped up in?

Many. He was seen as being too close to Catholicism, which some people didnt like (Ironic because he was the target for the Gunpowder plot, which was carried out by catholics). There are also supposed scandals with his favoritism with male courtiers, but I'm pretty sure it is unsubstantiated and more or less gossip.

How was the economy when he was in power?

Booming, England was essentially the only major power not involved in the Thirty years war and really benefited from not having to divert its resources to fight unnecessary war.

Source: A Monarchy transformed: Britain 1603-1714, Mark Kishlansky

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