Author: Buchanan, George
Biography:
BUCHANAN, George (1506-82: ODNB)
A prior author, Buchanan was a Scottish historian, politician, and poet. He was the son of Thomas Buchanan and his wife Agnes Heriot and was born on 1 Feb. 1506 at Killearn, Stirlingshire. Some of his early life was passed in France and for a time he was educated in Paris; he also served with the French military. By 1536 he was back in Scotland where he was appointed tutor to an illegitimate son of James V; his satirical poem, Franciscanus, dates from this time. Controversy over some of his practices—for example, eating meat during Lent—and his writings (including plays) saw him return to France amid threats of punishment for heresy. He travelled to Portugal where he became embroiled in the Inquisition and was tried for heresy. From about 1560 he was back in Scotland where initially he supported Queen Mary of Scotland. Later he turned against her and was a key witness for her opponents. After her death he served as tutor to her son, King James. His major historical work, Rerum Scoticarum Historia, was published in 1582. He died on 28 Sept. 1582 and was buried in Greyfriars churchyard, Edinburgh. George Provand, translator of Franciscanus, lived in Glasgow. No public records have been located for him but likely he was the father of George Provand, a Glasgow merchant, who was born in about 1796. (ODNB 22 Aug. 2023; ancestry.co.uk 22 Aug. 2023)