Policing the Ploughs
As Britain faced the prospect of food shortages in 1917, panic mounted. One solution was to redeploy policemen to plough the land.
Feature
Kingdoms Come Apart
The path to Britain’s Civil Wars of the 17th century was paved in the three very different realms of England, Scotland and Ireland. But it was in the richest and most populous of these that crisis escalated into conflict.
The Far Right in France
Since the late 19th century, French politics has provided a testing ground for right-wing populism.
Soviet Super Sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko
Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the ‘Guerrilla Queen’ of Soviet Russia, became a role model for women in combat during the Second World War.
The Inquisition’s Secret Weapon
With the aim of converting souls rather than punishing them, the Jesuits were vital collaborators in the Roman Inquisition.
The Foundations of Liberia
Supported by both slaveholders and abolitionists for different reasons, the founding of Liberia is a history of the near impossible. Perhaps its greatest feat was survival.
The Great Rabbit Birthing Hoax
In 1726, Mary Toft claimed she had given birth to rabbits. The case became a test of the doctors’ scientific principles.
The State of the Nation
Recent political crises have shown the importance – and neglect – of constitutional history.
Sin and Siege: The End of the Crusades
Acre was the most cosmopolitan city in the medieval world. Its inhabitants thought it too valuable to destroy. They were wrong.
Shampoo Empire
Shampooing was brought to Britain by a Bengali immigrant who knew his craft – and how to sell it.