James I

King James I was already King of Scotland when he got the English crown. King James I was the first ruler to call himself King of Great Britain, as he ruled England, Scotland and Wales. King James was the first King of Great Britain.

In 1707 an act of Parliament meant that King James I actually became king of both countries, although this was just a formality. James was the sone of Mary Queen of Scots, and had been king of Scotland for 29 years when he got the English throne. During King James I reign the gun power plot was foiled. Guy Fawkes, and his friends (who were all Catholics) tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament, but were captured before they do it. Although the initial plan fo the gun powder plot was to blow up the houses of parliament, it has since been calculated that the maount of gun powder used, and in the way it was used, would have caused an explosion much larger than expected, and would have likely destroyed most of London.