David Rizzio at the Scottish CourtHistory and Myth across Arts and Media

Explores the enduring influence of David Rizzio in Scottish and European art and material culture

• Delivers the first account of David Rizzio’s extraordinary afterlife over 450 years, traced through diplomatic reports, visual arts, music, opera, literature, theatre, cinema and material culture, with case studies from Scotland, England, France, Italy, Germany and Spain
• Reveals how Rizzio’s persona has been reimagined and reinvented across cultures and centuries
• Sheds new light on the so-called “Rizzio guitar” exploring its provenance, symbolism, and role in shaping cultural memory
• Publishes, for the first time in English, a newly discovered letter signed by Rizzio, opening the way to identifying further examples of his correspondence
• Reframes the dynamics of cultural memory and historical storytelling, offering fresh perspectives on Rizzio’s place in Scottish history and identity
• Brings together a multidisciplinary lens to examine the intersections of politics, art and cultural myth-making

This book studies the multifaceted impact of David Rizzio (c. 1533-1566), the Italian musician and courtier whose murder at the Palace of Holyroodhouse reshaped the destiny of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Remembered as a figure of scandal and romance, Rizzio has inspired fascination for over 450 years. This book traces his many reimaginings across Britain and continental Europe, from early diplomatic newsletters to various art forms including painting, literature and music.

By following his story across Scotland, England, France, Italy, Germany and Spain, chapters in the book highlight the strikingly transnational reach of his legend. They show how Rizzio became a cultural icon and reassess his enduring significance in Scottish/British cultural memory and identity and their wider European contexts.