Today’s featured articles
West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt was an admirer of Britain from an early age. But his vision of European integration was not that of his British counterparts.
What makes a state? Is it its people, its borders, its government, or does it rest on recognition from international powers? Across the 19th and 20th centuries, the process by which states have been created and recognised has taken many forms.
The October Revolution of 1917 inspired a generation of Bolshevik youth to embrace new ideals of socialist living in the commune.
Most recent
The Birth of Spiritualism
On 14 November 1848 the Fox sisters conjured up a movement when they made contact with the dead – or so they claimed.
How Medieval Scribes Balanced the Books
As the medieval book trade declined, Oxford scribes had to turn their hands to other crafts to get by.
‘The Heretic of Cacheu’ and ‘Worlds of Unfreedom’ review
The Heretic of Cacheu by Toby Green and Worlds of Unfreedom by Roquinaldo Ferreira, painstakingly recreate the worlds at the beginning and end of Portugal’s slave trade.
The Practical Mysticism of Evelyn Underhill
The past is full of unfamiliar ideas and beliefs, but – as Evelyn Underhill has proven – some things are timeless.
‘Chernobyl Children’ by Melanie Arndt review
Chernobyl Children: A Transnational History of Nuclear Disaster by Melanie Arndt discovers how Soviet civil society flourished – and then faltered – in the fallout.
How Has Space Exploration Changed History?
In November 2025 we reach 25 years of continuous human presence in space. Did reaching orbit alter the trajectory of the planet below?
‘El Generalísimo’ by Giles Tremlett book review
El Generalísimo: Franco: Power, Violence and the Quest for Greatness by Giles Tremlett considers the making of the mediocrity at the heart of modern Spain.
The Transformations of Fernand Braudel
It is 40 years since the death of Fernand Braudel, the historian who sought the perspective of ‘God the Father’.
Current issue
- Image
In the November issue:
The Mongol khans of medieval Europe, the battle for Britain’s clean air, how states get recognised, the Tudor touring theatre, educated slaves in ancient Rome, 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.