Here be Dragomans
For wealthy tourists travelling to the Middle East in the 19th century, the services of a dragoman were an essential purchase. Yet the often difficult lives of these local agents and guides remain elusive.
Feature
400 Years of Melancholising
Robert Burton’s encyclopedic curiosity The Anatomy of Melancholy continues to offer remarkable insights into mental health.
Britannia’s ‘Huns’
The moral authority Britain gained during the First World War was undermined by the behaviour of the Crown Forces during the Irish War of Independence.
Napoleon: Two Centuries of Life after Death
Revolutionary soldier or tyrannical emperor? The question is as pertinent now as when Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on remote Saint Helena in 1821.
Popes: Power to the People
In the aftermath of the Reformation, the authority of the pope depended ever more upon the will of the people.
America’s Western Problem
Indigenous peoples in the West of the United States continued to be held in bondage long after the abolition of plantation slavery in the South.
On the Money
The introduction of decimal coinage to the UK was a long while coming. But the transition was surprisingly smooth.
The Chosen Peoples
Oliver Cromwell’s desire to bring about the readmission of Jews to England was met with prejudice and opposition. But he succeeded, with help from powerful friends.
Germany United
The first German constitution was ratified in April 1871. Designed by Otto von Bismarck to preserve the old regime, it would eventually help bring about its downfall.
East Africa’s Tourist War
A newly independent Tanganyika hoped to capture part of the lucrative European market for African tourism. But its rivalry with neighbouring Kenya proved an obstacle.