Even in death there was still the potential for surprise.

After learning that the ­Reverend Ian Paisley had died aged 88, Martin McGuinness, the Sinn Fein ­politician and former IRA stalwart, his nemesis for many years and latterly his "chuckle brother" partner in power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, said he had "lost a friend".

The comment was widely taken as a sign of how far the unionist firebrand's journey had taken him, from fire and brimstone preacher, street campaigner, thorn in the side of successive Prime Ministers and one of the most ­visible and iconic of politicians in British political life to convert to power sharing.

But former SDLP leader and Nobel prize winner John Hume was among those who questioned the road his former opponent had taken. Mr Hume said: "History will record his political career as a ­journey - one which took him from the politics of division to a place where he accepted agreement as a solution, the need for power-sharing, and respect for diversity.

"But history will also ask if he should have reached this point sooner."

Born in April 6, 1926, the son of a Baptist minister, he went on to give his own first sermon at the age of 16. He was educated in Ballymena, the "Bible belt" centre of Northern Irish unionism he would later represent for many years as the MP for North Antrim.

He rose to fame as a rabble rousing defender of Ulster unionists and Protestants in the 1960s.

Many of the tributes to him yesterday concentrated on his late conversion to the peace process in Northern Ireland.

David Cameron said: "Of course, Ian Paisley was a controversial figure for large parts of his career. Yet the contribution he made in his later years to political stability in Northern Ireland was huge.

"In particular, his decision to take his party into government with Sinn Fein in 2007 required great courage and leadership, for which everyone in these islands should be grateful."

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who presided over the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland through the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, said: "Ian was a man of deep convictions. The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul searching, did. He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker."

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said for more than five decades he was a dominant figure in Northern Ireland politics through his booming oratory and enormous personality.

"He was unswerving in his commitment to Northern Ireland's position within the United Kingdom. Yet he was, by his own admission, first and foremost a preacher."

Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, said: "Ian Paisley was a major figure in the politics of these islands who I first got to know at Westminster as a warm, personable fellow MP, despite the obvious differences in our outlook."

But it was Mr McGuinness ­tribute said that highlighted how far the Unionist leader had come in his political journey.

"I learned with deep regret and sadness of the death of former First Minister the Rev Dr Ian Paisley," said his former adversary.

"Over a number of decades we were political opponents and held very different views on many, many issues but the one thing we were absolutely united on was the principle that our people were better able to govern themselves than any British government.

"I want to pay tribute to and comment on the work he did in the latter days of his political life in building agreement and leading unionism into a new accommodation with republicans and nationalists."

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, a TD in the Irish ­parliament, said he was deeply shocked and saddened at Mr ­Paisley's death.

In his own constituency he was always a formidable local politician whose work over the years persuaded many who disagreed with much of the outer edges of his politics to vote for him.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Malcolm Bruce said: "He was of course somebody who never had any difficulty in making his voice heard and indeed before these microphones came in he didn't even need one."

In recent years he revealed that two 17th century Scottish women had shaped his ideology. At the Wigtown Book Festival, he paid tribute to Margaret McLachlan, 63, and Margaret Wilson, 18, who died defending their faith in 1685 during the Killing Times.

His death was announced in a statement by his wife Baroness Eileen Paisley. She said: "My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning.

"Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken."