John Knox

John Knox was a Scottish reformer and he fought to change the hearts of the Catholic Church. Knox was born in Scotland between 1505 and 1515, and he attended grammar school at the university of St. Andrews. John Knox preached Protestantism to the people of Scotland, even though it was dangerous. The Castle of St. Andrews was taken one day by the French and Knox was taken prisoner and made a galley slave, for 19 months he labored and his health was declining, however he was at last released and came to England, which was a refuge for Protestants at the time. He stayed in England and was married there, but when Bloody Mary became Queen he had to flee for his life because of the persecution, and moved to Switzerland, where he met John Calvin. Soon Knox returned to Scotland after meeting and talking with Calvin for a while and there he had a hard time because Marry Queen of Scots was a strong Catholic and she was oppressive to Reformers. In 1542, Mary Stuart became the queen of Scotland at six days old, she grew up in France but returned to Scotland after the death of her husband. Mary tried to force her Catholicism on the people but she had to flee after realizing that the Protestants would not have it. After retreating from Scotland she was imprisoned by her protestant cousin, Elizabeth, and she remained in prison until her death. John Knox continued to present Protestantism to Scotland and is now remembered as a man that God used to bring His light to the Scots.