Queen Elizabeth I and Dr Burcot
In 1562 the young monarch was cured of a dangerous attack of smallpox.
History Today
The First Execution by Electric Chair
William Kemmler was killed on August 6th, 1890.
A Women’s Revolt
A protest against the English Civil War ends in tragedy.
Mary, Queen of Scots marries in Edinburgh
Henry Stewart wed Mary on July 29th 1565.
Sex Changes Over Time
High-minded allegations of prurience should not stop historians from examining the intimate lives of people in the past.
Spreading the Word
Many of the world’s languages derive from a single source. Harry Ritchie tells the story of Proto-Indo-European.
The Success of Sweet Smells
We tend to think of the early modern city as one beset by foul, dangerous air and dank odours. Yet it also inspired a golden age of perfumery, explains William Tullett.
Churchill and the Cunarders
From luxury liners to troopships: Roland Quinault examines the close relationship between the Cunard line and Winston Churchill.
The Fall of Robespierre
The momentous final days of Maximilien Robespierre are well documented. Yet many of the established ‘facts’ about the Thermidorian Reaction are myths.
Farewell to Aden
Roger Hudson details the tense situation leading up to the evacuation of British troops from Aden in 1967.