The Macintosh Born
Charles Macintosh, the inventor of rainproof overcoats, was born on 29 December 1766.
Volume 66 Issue 12 December 2016
The Murder of Grigori Rasputin
The 'healer' and friend to Tsar Nicholas II was killed on 17 December 1916.
The first Christie’s auction
James Christie first held his eponymous auction on December 5th, 1766.
A Hatred for Hindus
Long before the recent rise in Islamophobia, distrust of Hinduism was rife among Britain’s ruling class.
On and Off Script
The challenges of writing history for television are formidable. But if historians don’t get involved, they will cede ground to those less qualified, warns Suzannah Lipscomb.
The Sinking of Japan
An island nation with few resources, Japan was in a precarious enough position when it declared war on the United States in December 1941. That its powerful navy failed to learn the lessons of previous conflicts made matters even worse.
Empire’s Other Whites
In the popular imagination, the archetypal British imperialist is the kind of daring young adventurer portrayed in the stories of Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling. But, reveals Will Jackson, those who settled the Empire were far more diverse than stereotypes allow.
Man’s Best Fiend
European power in the New World was established with the help of aggressive and intimidating dogs, specially bred for the purpose. And, as Tyler D. Parry reveals, the long history of canine violence against minority groups is still being written.
Atlantis at its Prime, 1896
The earth's surface as it might have looked when the ‘Atlantean race’ was at its height.
The Tiger of Mysore
In the 18th century, the Muslim warlord Tipu Sultan terrorised Hindu southern India and clashed repeatedly with the British. Today, his legacy is contested, but he was far from the nationalist that some have claimed, writes Zareer Masani.