Scotland Re-formed, 1488-1587

From the death of James III to the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, Jane Dawson tells story of Scotland from the perspective of its regions and of individual Scots, as well as incorporating the view from the royal court. Scotland Re-formed shows how the country was re-formed as the relationship between church and crown changed, with these two institutions converging, merging and diverging, thereby permanently altering the nature of Scottish governance. Society was also transformed, especially by the feuars, new landholders who became the backbone of rural Scotland. The Reformation Crisis of 1559-60 brought the establishment of a Protestant Kirk, an institution influencing the lives of Scots for many centuries, and a diplomatic revolution that discarded the 'auld alliance' and locked Scotland's future into the British Isles.Although the disappearance of the pre-Reformation church left a patronage deficit with disastrous effects for Scottish music and art, new forms of cultural expression arose that reflected Protestant sensibilities or were transposed to secular settings. Alongside the dramatic events and slow transformations of cultural, social, economic, political and religious life, in 1587 much remained as it had been in 1488, with Scots deeply rooted in their country through their abiding sense of people and place. Key Features:• Distinctive regional approach brings a fresh perspective to the century's political and religious events• Compelling new interpretation based upon the complex inter-relationship of crown and church, helps students make sense of the upheavals brought to Scotland by the Renaissance and Reformation• Careful integration of visual, artistic and material culture enlivens and enriches students’ understanding of Scottish life

Jane Dawson is Professor of Reformation History at the University of Edinburgh.