Books of the Year 2020
Six historians share the books they’ve enjoyed this year.
Feature
The Best Articles of 2020
A selection of our favourite articles from the past year.
A Queen on Trial
The scandalous breakdown of the marriage between Caroline of Brunswick and George IV played out against a background of political agitation and economic distress.
On the Wrong Side of History
A celebrated novelist and tireless social reformer, Mary Ward has been all but forgotten because of her support for the anti-suffrage movement.
The Goths Take Rome
The distinction between centre and periphery was vital to the Roman Empire’s conception of itself. For centuries a rugged frontier, the land north of the Danube would produce one of Rome’s greatest foes.
Medicine Woman
Despite her fragile health and the chauvinism of the time, Susan Anderson brought compassion and competence to the medical profession in a still wild West.
The Crown Lost at Sea
The sinking of the White Ship, a vessel carrying the English king Henry I’s sole heir, was a disaster from which anarchy would follow.
Do You Padge?
With big costumes and bigger audiences, pageants were the pastime of choice in the early 20th century.
Between Galileo and Newton
Christiaan Huygens has been long overshadowed by Isaac Newton. But he is the better example of a modern scientist.
The Price of Life
Africa’s continuing dependence on external credit is no accident. Today, it cripples the continent’s economy. From the 16th century, it funded the Atlantic slave trade.