1611

1611 was a common year in the Gregorian calendar. It is best known for the publication of the King James Version of the Bible in London. Commissioned by James I, the translation drew on earlier English translations and Hebrew and Greek texts and was produced by about fifty scholars from Cambridge, Oxford, and Westminster. Printed by Robert Barker, the edition included the Apocrypha and a translator’s preface. It quickly became the standard English Bible for Anglican and Protestant communities and had a lasting influence on English language and literature.

Beyond Britain, 1611 occurred during a period of expanding European overseas activity. English and Dutch merchants extended trading networks in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, and exploration continued as crews mapped northern oceans and established new outposts. Notably, the final voyage of Henry Hudson ended in 1611 after a mutiny by his crew, and his fate remains unknown. These developments illustrate the broader patterns of early modern globalization and state-building that characterized the era.

Scholars regard 1611 as a turning point in religious and linguistic history because of the King James Bible's enduring influence on religious practice and the English language. The edition set a standard for later Bible translations and remains a landmark in Protestant history as well as in world literature.