Italian Fire

Italian Fire is a novel based on the life story of Michaelangelo Florio, a 16th century Italian Franciscan friar who fled his native land to become a fiery Protestant preacher and pastor in London.

He also became tutor in Italian to Lady Jane Gray, the vivacious and intelligent young girl who was destined to become a heroic martyr after just nine days as Queen of England. Florio never forgot his young student, and dedicated to her memory his book - History of the life and death of the illustrious Jane Grey.

This dramatic tale brings to life Florio’s brave stand for Biblical truth, his fierce and uncompromising character, and his return to Europe where he became pastor of Soglio in Switzerland - the majority of the town’s inhabitants converted to Protestantism on Christmas Day 1552.



The author is Robert Watson - best known for his popular factual novels on the Scottish Covenanters - “Peden, Prophet of the Covenant” and on John Knox “Man of Iron”.