Book excerpt: Johann Sleidan (1506-1556) was the author of the first great history of the Protestant movement, and did much to influence how it was perceived by both Catholics and Protestants. In this new study, his life and works are comprehensively analysed for the first time, exploring his roles as both diplomat and historian. In so doing, much is revealed about how many moderate statesmen and scholars sought to bridge the growing confessional divide, and promote coexistence and how Protestantism began to search for, and manufacture, its own history independent of that espoused by the Catholic Church. Following these twin themes, this book offers a fascinating and timely look at an influential figure of the Reformation.