The History of the Reformation in Scotland facts for kids
The History of the Reformation in Scotland is a five-part book written by John Knox, a Scottish reformer. He wrote it between 1559 and 1566. This book tells the story of how Scotland changed its main religion from Catholicism to Protestantism.
Why John Knox Wrote His History Book
In 1559, Scotland was going through a big change called the Scottish Reformation. The leaders of the Protestant nobles, known as the Lords of the Congregation, asked John Knox to write down the story of their movement. This first short writing became the second part of his larger book, The History of the Reformation in Scotland.
How the Books Were Written
Knox kept working on his History in 1566 while he was in a place called Kyle in Ayrshire. By then, he had likely finished early versions of the third part. This part describes the events leading up to Mary, Queen of Scots coming back to Scotland.
During this time, Knox mostly focused on the first and fourth parts of his book.
- The first part covers the very start of the Scottish Reformation up to 1559.
- The fourth part records what happened from August 1561 to June 1564.
The Mystery of the Fifth Book
The fifth part of the History first appeared in a book published in 1644. This edition was put out by David Buchanan, who was related to another Scottish historian, George Buchanan. This part of the book covers the time from September 1564 to August 1567. This was when Mary, Queen of Scots, had to give up her throne.
David Buchanan said that the History was based on Knox's own writings and notes. However, in a later edition of the History published in 1732, someone else suggested that David Buchanan himself wrote the fifth part. So, it's still a bit of a mystery who truly wrote the fifth and final part of the book.
