Though overshadowed by his father, James IV, and his daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, James V was nonetheless a crucial figure in British history, as is shown in this dissenting opinion about his reign as England"s king. Concentratingon James V"s style of government and his relations with the nobility, this account challenges the widely held view that James was both vindictive and irrational. In spite of a few unpleasant personal traits, it is argued, his reign closely resembled thatof his more popular father, and the rebelliousness of his magnates in 1542 was due to the political landscape of Britain rather than any aspect of James" temperament.