The Army that Walked on Water
For the Swedish king Charles X Gustav, the freezing winter of 1658 provided a unique opportunity: to march across the ice and create a Scandinavian superkingdom.
Feature
How Monarchs Succeed
As the accession of Edward VII shows, a new British monarch must represent the nation’s values – whatever that nation and those values are.
Tutankhamun in the Flesh
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 reopened arguments about the presumed race of the ancient Egyptians.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s Second Act
After the death of her husband in 1945, Eleanor Roosevelt left the White House and embarked upon a new career as ‘First Lady of the World’.
‘The Vote is of the People’
Brazilian democracy is young, hard-won and under threat. As the country goes to the polls, its history reminds us that the right to vote is not a given.
Filthy Food
Efforts by the German scientist Friedrich Accum brought about widespread awareness of the dangers of food adulteration, paving the way for legislation that protects what we eat today.
England’s Monasteries: Gone But Not Forgotten
The Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII is a well-worn tale. Are we getting the whole story?
The Great Alpaca Heist
A Victorian wool merchant set out on an audacious, decade-long quest to smuggle alpacas out of Peru. But transporting his flock to Australia was only half the struggle.
A Century of Fascism
Fascism would plague the 20th century, but when Benito Mussolini seized power in October 1922 few could agree on exactly what it was.
Cuban Missile Crisis: the View from Havana
For 13 days in October 1962 the world watched Cuba with bated breath. What was the view like from the epicentre of the missile crisis?