The Reformation traces the dramatically compelling story from the Renaissance to the seventeenth-century wars of religion. It was a period of profound upheaval, possibly the greatest since Christianity was founded in the first century AD. Andrew Atherstone brings the period to life, looking at why the Reformation happened, how it happened, what it actually was and what it achieved. Focusing on the key personalities and events, he explains the often complex ideas that were at stake - and the political as well as religious issues involved. This is a lucid, authoritative account of a period that changed the face of Europe forever. The great figures - Luther and Calvin especially - are brought vividly to life in an accessible, lively and engaging overview of this critical period.