Today’s featured articles
When VE Day finally came in May 1945 it was met with relief, exhaustion, and cynicism. Was the Second World War in Europe really over?
The Exclusion Crisis of the late 17th century posed a question of national importance: should the Catholic duke of York be allowed to succeed to the throne? And should he be subject to the same law as everyone else?
Before the secret ballot, voting in Britain was a theatrical, violent and public affair. The Act that made democracy private turned 150 in 2022.
Most recent
The Rise and Fall of Snake Oil
Over the course of the 19th century snake oil transformed from folk remedy, to industrial medicine, to notorious fake.
Beating the Bounds
May is a month for praying for a good harvest, enjoying the natural world – and reaffirming ancient boundaries.
‘Infanta’ by Magdalena S. Sánchez review
In Infanta: The Short, Remarkable Life of Catalina Micaela, Magdalena S. Sánchez discovers a 16th-century marriage documented in remarkable detail.
‘Centrists of the World Unite!’ by Adrian Wooldridge review
Whig is beautiful? Centrists of the World Unite! The Lost Genius of Liberalism by Adrian Wooldridge looks for signs of life in the liberal movement.
The End of USAID
In the postwar era bounteous US foreign aid reshaped the world, for better or worse. With the culling of USAID those days are over.
The Discovery of Petroglyphs
Norwegian doctor Peder Alfsön died on 3 May 1663, having discovered – but misinterepreted – the prehistoric rock carvings at Backa Brastad.
Mourning the White Ship
The sinking of the White Ship was a disaster for England’s King Henry I, but it was also felt deeply by his subjects.
‘The Edge of Revolution’, ‘Britain’s Revolutionary Summer’, and ‘Nine Days in May’ review
What can three recent books – The Edge of Revolution by David Torrance, Britain’s Revolutionary Summer by Edd Mustill, and Nine Days in May by Jonathan Schneer – tell us about the General Strike of 1926?
Current issue
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In the May 2026 issue:
How the General Strike changed Britain, the Rif War, James II and the Exclusion Crisis, private investigators on trial, 15th-century Iceland, and more.
Plus: reviews, opinion, crossword and much more!
You can buy this issue from our website, from newsstands across the UK, or read it as a digital edition via the History Today App.