King James VI of Scotland, born on June 19, 1566, was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He became king at just one year old after his mother's abdication in 1567. His reign was marked by efforts to unite the warring factions in Scotland and strengthen the monarchy. In 1603, James VI ascended to the English throne as James I after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England. His reign saw the commissioning of the King James Version of the Bible, which remains influential in English literature and Christianity today.