Feature

Two imperial ventures, in the same Middle East town a century apart, reveal the similarities – and differences – in the exercise of power.

The modern belief that the Middle Ages was a time of ignorance and superstition means that we often end up believing fantastic stories, too, as the tale of a Czech preacher and his emperor demonstrates.

The prime minister at the time of Napoleon’s defeat was a keen observer of European politics. His government sought a balance of power on the Continent, but with minimal British engagement.

As the Battle of Britain raged overhead, the nation’s women were urged to salvage metal for the war effort. But was it just propaganda?

A contemporary of Hitler, Franco and Mussolini, Salazar is remembered by some of his compatriots as the greatest figure in the nation’s history. Why?

The arrival of Napoleon’s troops in Venice in 1797 instigated one of the biggest plunders in the history of art. 

Can the study of the past really help us to understand the present?

Methodism gained great popularity in the 18th century, but its followers were thought enthusiastic to the point of insanity, posing a serious threat to the established church.

French was the only language worth speaking in medieval Britain – and not just by the upper classes.