This is the first biography of Ludovic Stuart, Duke of Lennox, who served in the court of King James VI of Scotland from 1583 until his unexpected death in 1624. Lennox arrived in Scotland in November 1583, a 9-year-old boy from France and a cousin of the king. For the next 40 years he served James faithfully and skilfully, becoming the quintessential courtier, James’s confidant, adviser and friend. Shrewd politician, ambitious and sometimes ruthless, but also beloved by the royal family, Lennox carefully negotiated political and diplomatic minefields. He also participated in the arts as patron and performer, sponsoring his own acting company, attending drama performances and performing in several court masques. Providing a portrait of this most important courtier, this book covers the politics and cultural life of the Stuart court in Scotland and England. It shows that it is essential to know about Lennox and his unparalleled importance in order to fully understand the reign of King James. The Duke of Lennox, 1574-1624: A Jacobean Courtier's Life offers a substantial examination of Lennox's life, filling a significant void. When examining those around James VI & I, certain favourites, such as Buckingham, have often dominated the historical narrative. This biography therefore provides an examination of a life and a relationship that was highly significant to James but has rarely been discussed. -- Amy Saunders ― Royal Studies Journal Bergeron’s biography of Lennox reminds us of the human richness of the Stuart courts and of the talented individuals who served in them. -- Darcy Kern ― Renaissance Quarterly Ludovic Stuart, Duke of Lennox, has long been known as a ubiquitous Jacobean courtier and cousin of the king, but our knowledge of him has been limited by the absence of any scholarly biography. This thoroughly-researched book at last brings him out of the shadows. -- Julian Goodare, Professor of History, University of Edinburgh Bergeron uses a wide collection of other sources to not just chronicle Lennox’s life but to insert human emotion and psychology into the narrative. ... Through his estimation, Bergeron effectually portrays an eminently important, loyal but ambitious courtier. -- Beth Cowen, University of Glasgow ― The Scottish Historical Review A biography of the Duke of Lennox (1583-1624), the most consequential person in the Jacobean court in Scotland and England This is the first biography of Ludovic Stuart, Duke of Lennox, who served in the court of King James VI of Scotland from 1583 until his unexpected death in 1624. Lennox arrived in Scotland in November 1583, a 9-year-old boy from France and a cousin of the king. For the next 40 years he served James faithfully and skilfully, becoming the quintessential courtier, James's confidant, adviser and friend. Shrewd politician, ambitious and sometimes ruthless, but also beloved by the royal family, Lennox carefully negotiated political and diplomatic minefields. He also participated in the arts as patron and performer, sponsoring his own acting company, attending drama performances and performing in several court masques. Providing a portrait of this most important courtier, this book covers the politics and cultural life of the Stuart court in Scotland and England. It shows that it is essential to know about Lennox and his unparalleled importance in order to fully understand the reign of King James. David M. Bergeron is Professor Emeritus of English, University of Kansas. Cover image: Portrait of Ludovic Stuart, Duke of Lennox, by Paul van Somer, c. 1620, courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London Cover design: Stuart Dalziel [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN 978-1-3995-0044-9 Barcode David M. Bergeron is Prof Emeritus of English at the University of Kansas, US. He is the author of several books, including Shakespeare through Letters . New York, London, Lanham: Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield, 2020, Shakespeare’s London 1613 . Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2017, Textual Patronage in English Drama, 1570-1640. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2006 and King James and Letters of Homoerotic Desire . Iowa City: Univ. of Iowa Press, 1999.