The Venner Rebellion
An armed uprising by a handful of religious extremists in Restoration London led to serious consequences for British and, ultimately, world history.
History Today
Madam Butterfly and the Forging of Japanese Identity
Puccini’s opera revealed misunderstandings and stereotypes on both sides of the East-West divide.
Litigious Lives
The resort to law was an integral and regular part of everyday life in medieval Britain – and not just for men. Town court records offer glimpses into the lives of hundreds of ordinary women, through the lawsuits they were involved in.
On the Defensive
From the founding of Kiev in the ninth century through to the present, the Russian Empire has been both a predator and a victim.
The Politics of Pancakes
In England, Shrove Tuesday has not just symbolised feasting, fasting and family, but riot and rebellion, too.
Dead Ends
Travelling into the past of London’s great train stations.
The Romantic Reputation of John Keats
On his death, John Keats and his work looked sure to be forgotten. Why is his poetry now so well-loved?
Tutankhamun’s Ostriches
Ungainly but fleet of foot, the flightless bird offers insights into the life of a legendary pharaoh.
On the Spot: Priya Satia
‘Struggles matter in and of themselves.’
The Story of Peru’s Cloud Warriors
What can be known about Peru’s pre-Incan civilisation, the Chachapoya people or ‘Warriors of the Clouds’?