History Today

On the Spot: Imaobong Umoren

‘Who is the most underrated person in history? Mary Prince, an enslaved woman who played a critical role in the abolition of slavery.’

Europe and the End of Old Java

In 1825 Java’s old order rose up against encroaching European colonialism. What – and who – were the Javanese rebels fighting for?

Renaissance Florence’s Missing Bronzes

The controversial outcome of a sculpture competition between Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti changed the urban fabric of Renaissance Florence – or so the story goes.

Cannibal Crusaders

Reports from the First Crusade brought tales of victorious Christian soldiers eating dead bodies.

‘The Illegals’ by Shaun Waker review

The Illegals: Russia’s Most Audacious Spies and the Plot to Infiltrate the West by Shaun Walker sheds light on the Soviet Union’s undercover intelligence gathering.