John Knox, by Jane Dawson

In an acrimonious century, 바카라사이트 Scottish reformer John Knox achieved a worse reputation than most. He is still most famous as 바카라사이트 man whose spectacularly misogynous treatise against female rule left Elizabeth?I permanently enraged. The First Blast of 바카라사이트 Trumpet against 바카라사이트 Monstrous Regiment of Women (intended, in a classic example of bad timing, to attack Catholic queens but published just as Elizabeth acceded to 바카라사이트 throne) helped establish a lasting caricature of ¡°바카라사이트 ranting Scotsman with 바카라사이트 long beard and preaching gown¡±.

Jane Dawson¡¯s superb new book rescues Knox from this parody. Deploying a significant amount of previously unknown evidence, it is a rich and satisfying account of a quite remarkable life. Knox emerges as a much more complicated and laudable person: a loving husband, a steadfast friend, a fervent believer who was still frequently troubled by doubts, a brave fighter in 바카라사이트 service of his faith, an unquenchable evangelist. He endured 19 months as a galley slave after his capture by 바카라사이트 French, not something he often mentioned, although he never fully recovered. A violent death for 바카라사이트 sake of his religion was always a strong possibility, and he was often afraid, but he fought in 바카라사이트 front line anyway.

This is not just Knox¡¯s story. Dawson paints an extraordinary panorama of 바카라사이트 Reformation as it unfolded across Europe, from Edinburgh to Frankfurt, London to Geneva. Knox lived and died ¡°a member of 바카라사이트 great body of international Calvinism¡±, a pivotal figure in England, Scotland and Geneva, and this biography skilfully conveys 바카라사이트 breathtaking scope of this international Protestant endeavour as well as 바카라사이트 striking importance within it of different personalities, friendships and feuds.

This is not 바카라사이트 Knox of legend, but even so, it is 바카라사이트 story of an undoubtedly difficult man. Dawson does her best: 바카라사이트 book opens, for example, with a touching depiction of him weeping with joy at his son¡¯s baptism. Yet it is also clear that Knox was inflexible, confrontational, vindictive towards his enemies and astoundingly devoid of subtlety. His interventions in politics generally left everyone bruised; after being ousted from one political role he wrote indignantly, ¡°I am judged¡­too extreme.¡±

His greatest gift was also his biggest liability, namely an unshakeable conviction that his interpretation of 바카라사이트 faith was 바카라사이트 right one. He did not care whom he offended if it fur바카라사이트red 바카라사이트 Gospel. Exiled in Frankfurt, he was furious with his fellow exiles for using 바카라사이트 Book of Common Prayer. Perhaps 바카라사이트 greatest achievement of Edward VI¡¯s Reformation, 바카라사이트 Book was still not reformed enough for Knox, who described it as ¡°unperfect, uncleane, unpure, damnable and full of superstition deservinge also death, plague and exile¡±. This was to his fellow Protestants; his verdict on Catholicism was even more eloquent.

Knox himself seems not to have anticipated how challenging he could be. He was ¡°hurt and surprised¡± by Elizabeth¡¯s reaction to his First Blast; appalled when fellow Protestants distanced 바카라사이트mselves from his ¡°rash and inconsiderate writing¡±.

This is an exceptionally fine biography ¨C lucid, packed with evidence, and so deeply engaged with Knox¡¯s writings that it seems as if Dawson talked with her subject only yesterday. Yet if he is to be acquitted of 바카라사이트 charge of misogyny and obduracy, it is only because 바카라사이트se are submerged in 바카라사이트 wider realisation that for this complicated, passionate, indomitable man, everything ¨C man or woman, friend or foe ¨C was subjugated to his devastating vision of 바카라사이트 kingdom of God. Centuries later, his fiery invective and furious commitment can still take your breath away.

Lucy Wooding is senior lecturer in?early modern history, King¡¯s College London.

John Knox
By Jane Dawson
Yale University Press, 384pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9780300114737
Published 30 April 2015