History Today

Arnold Whitridge describes how a veteran from Frederick the Great’s army crossed the Atlantic in 1777 and helped to train the Continental forces.

Louis C. Kleber describes a crushing defeat for the North in the American Civil War, and its new Army Commander, John Pope.

David Mannings describes how the painters of the eighteenth century conducted their studios and sittings.

Griffith was neither a spell-binding orator nor a dashing leader; but, writes Richard Davis, he helped to ensure that no authoritarian regime was established in Ireland after 1921.

In 1851, writes Marjorie Sykes, there were over 30,000 hawkers and pedlars on the roads of Britain.

James Marshall-Cornwall describes a Tudor adventure, ultimately unsuccessful: Willoughby perished on the Kola peninsula; Chancellor reached Moscow and was received by Ivan the Terrible.

Prudence Hannay recounts the life of the Bostonian who first set sail for Britain in April 1815. Ticknor would go on to pay his homage to and became the good friend of many European intellectuals. Among those he met were Byron, Scott, Goethe, Chateaubriand and Madame de Stael.

As advocate, diplomatist and historian, writes Neil Ritchie, Aeneas Silvius was a much-travelled international figure before he became Pope.

James Anthony Gardner’s recollections of his service with the Royal Navy from 1782 to 1814, writes Christopher Lloyd, give a stimulating picture of life below decks.

Larry Gragg describes how political divisions, public violence and an outbreak of yellow fever combined to overcast America's historic city.