Political

W. Bruce Lincoln explains how Russian terrorists decided that ‘by the will of the people’ the Tsar Alexander II must be assassinated.

The gifted third son of the last Victorian Prime Minister was described as having ‘one foot in the Middle Ages and the other in the League of Nations’, as his descendant, Hugh Cecil, finds out.

John Colville's personal appreciation of Sir Winston’s work and character

Sarah Gristwood considers some earlier female MPs who might have given Mrs Thatcher a run for her money.

Long a diplomatic agent for Louis XV, D’Eon spent the last thirty-three years of an ambiguous life in woman's dress. Edna Nixon investigates this bizarre case of early modern espionage.

An interim appraisal, written by Alan Hodge, of the career of a Prime Minister who had just left office after nearly seven years in power.

Alastair Hennessy draws parallels between Carlist Spain of the nineteenth century and Franco's twentieth century fascist regime.

Stephanie Plowman examines the letters exchanged between Pitt the Younger and his radical brother-in-law, Lord Stanhope.

Elizabeth Wiskemann finds that the German students’ societies have played an unusual and a characteristic part in the history of modern Germany, and yet one which their mysterious rites and code of honour have obscured, even among their compatriots.

Michael Roberts examines the end of the reign of a Swedish monarch of "natural genius".

A.P. Ryan profiles William Howard Russell. Best known as the critical reporter of the Crimean War, Russell also served The Times as its correspondent during the American Civil War and the Franco-Russian campaign.

John Carswell introduces George Bubb Dodington; a man of pleasure; an indefatigable careerist; and an industrious and successful politician.

Alastair Buchan writes that banker, economist, editor and critic, Bagehot “was the antithesis of the grand Victorian man of letters.”