History Today

The path to democracy is a long one. It should not be taken for granted.

The foundations of modern India were laid by the British governor-general, Warren Hastings. But he paid a heavy personal price.

There is beauty to be had from the smallest of objects. In the 18th century, tweezers, toothpicks and clippers became the signs of a polite, and beautiful, society.

What language did the Romans speak? Latin was used throughout the Roman Empire, but it shared space with a host of other languages and dialects...

The legacy of Marie Skłodowska Curie, the world's most famous female physicist, is assured, but in her lifetime she was a controversial figure.

A little-known encounter between the English and French navies should rank alongside Trafalgar and the defeat of the Armada.

It is tempting to adopt a black-and-white view of the past, but history is complex and should be judged on its own merits.

A map of the Jain universe.

Was the new king of Sierra Leone poisoned on his return voyage from England?

The English reporter who posed as a man to become a soldier during the First World War was born on 4 October 1896.