John Knox, the Scottish reformer

by Dorothy McKay Martin

Book by Martin, Dorothy

Genres: Biography

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Tim]

This very short (little more than 100 pages) book was rewritten by Dorothy Martin from a book by G. Barnett Smith. In recent TV series and movies, John Knox has been portrayed generally unfavorably, and in particular a hater of women. If that seems like it might possibly be one-sided, this book provides another side. Both sides provide perhaps a more balanced view of a key figure in the Scottish Reformation, which was quite a complex time in Scottish history.

Some key events that influenced Knox's life (there were many): He became friends with, and a bodyguard to, George Wishart, a reformer, who was arrested at the behest of Cardinal Beaton and Mary of Guise, the queen regent, and was burned at the stake. A couple of months later, 5 men murdered Beaton in his castle of St. Andrews and holed up there. Their family and comrades joined them there, believing that they could hold the castle indefinitely. About a year later, Knox was persuaded to go there to tutor the children. Less than two months later, 21 French galleys arrived, again at the behest of Mary of Guise, to lay siege to the castle. About a month later, the castle surrendered, and Knox, along with other men, were confined as rowers on French galleys, which was considered a certain death sentence. About 19 months later, in very poor health, Knox was released and took refuge in England. During this exile he was influential in the court of Edward VI. However, when Mary Tudor ascended the throne, he was forced to flee to Geneva, as Mary was burning Protestants at the stake. During the next six years, he traveled back and forth from Geneva to Frankfurt to Scotland and back to Geneva, working with other reformers, before returning to Scotland for good. However, a year later, Mary, Queen of Scots, arrived in Scotland from France, after her husband, the king, died. Having been raised in France almost her entire life, Mary, as a Roman Catholic, and Knox didn't see eye to eye on much.

He was married twice, the first time to an Englishwoman named Margery Bowes, during his years in exile in England. After she died, some years later when he was back in Scotland, he married Margaret Stewart. He had two children with his first wife and three with his second, one boy and four girls all together.

The events in his life were much more complicated than can be briefly described. Though brief, this book effectively tells the complex story of the many strong actors in the turbulent period of Scotland and England, of whom John Knox was one of the most influential.

[Trevor Grimm]

4/5

A true apostle and follower of Jesus. What a legacy he has had on Christianity in Scotland. So encouraging and inspiring to see a man lead a life fully devout to God’s calling and truly not be ashamed of the Gospel. I really need to go back to the Saint Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, one of my favorite places on Earth.

[Andy]

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