“Shakespeare's play Macbeth is to some extent a cautionary tale, warning all other would-be regicides (kingslayers) of the horrible fate that will await them inevitably” (BBC). This is directly related to the theme of the play, excessive ambition will have terrible consequences. Do not commit treason. King James inherited the throne after the death of his beloved Queen Elizabeth I, who had no heir to the throne. He was a clumsy king. His greatness was nothing compared to that of the gracious ruler who had preceded him. King James I had four obsessions: witch hunting, tobacco, the divine rights of kings and the King James Bible. Shakespeare knew that to succeed as a writer he had to please one person, the ruler of England, King James I. King James I was a very unique king; he had an interesting historical background, eccentric interests and hobbies, which had a huge influence on Shakespeare's play Macbeth. King James lived a crazy life. He was born on June 19, 1566 and died on March 27, 1625. King James I was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stewart. Formerly Prince James VI of Scotland, he became King James I of England after the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. "James's royal entry into London in 1603 had to be postponed for several months because the plague was raging in the city” (Sime 292). At the age of one, James became King James of Scotland. He was an ally of Queen Elizabeth, even after she executed his mother Mary. To Queen Elizabeth, James was a distant cousin. After his death, King James was remembered through the King James Bible, expressing the divine right of kings. King James believed in the theory of the divine right of kings; “It was the belief that the power of monarchs was given directly by God, and... middle of paper... to the Confessor” (Mabillard). Many did not believe in James' power as king or his ability to be king. Therefore, there were many assassination attempts on his life. The Gunpowder Plot was an attempt on James's life during his reign and an allusion to Lady Macbeth encouraging Macbeth to exchange his compassion for evil when she says: "...look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent beneath it... » (Mabillard). Shakespeare formatted the play Macbeth around King James' lifestyle to flourish through his writing, entertain everyone, and become favored by the new king of England. Despite having an intense and unusual upbringing as a child, a madman for a mother, a strange and eccentric obsessive with witchcraft and demonology, and heavily involved in the plot of Macbeth, King James remains known in history as a particular king whose greatest achievement was the King James Bible..