History Today

Franz Xaver Winterhalter's romantic representations of royal and noble personages, writes Joanna Richardson, have an unquestionable charm for those who live in a more pedestrian age.

In 1773, writes A. Lentin, the radical philosophe paid a difficult visit to his patroness in St Petersburg.

Rosamond Harcourt-Smith follows an eastern route to India during the early years of viceregal rule.

After the last great victory of the English longbow at Flodden, writes Charles Chenevix Trench, three centuries of experiment passed before an accurate long-ranged firearm was devised.

During the War of the Spanish Succession the Austrian commander marched westward from the Alps across Italy to win a remarkable battle.

John Lehmann presents the grim but fascinating impressions of post-Commune France, by an English schoolboy.

After early service in Poland, writes Adam Zamoyski, Sulkowski joined the French Army of Italy and in 1798 met a gallant death in Egypt.

Daughter of Necker of Geneva, twice French Minister of Finance, Germaine de Staël reflected in her life and writings the enthusiasm of the Revolutionary Age. By Douglas Hilt.

Christopher Hibbert describes how the people of Malta revolted against their Napoleonic garrison and, with British and Neapolitan aid, became a British Mediterranean dependency.

As an exile, writes D.S. Gray, the Emperor had many conversations with a Scottish officer, which ‘left no doubt of his expecting that circumstances might yet call him to the throne of France’.