History Today

Alan Rogers reflects the influence of power among those surrounding the throne and how, throughout the entire medieval period during which Parliament existed, the magnates had greater sway than the Commons.

Jack M. Sasson reads the letters of Shamsi-Adad and describes his humanity, patriarchal wisdom and easy sense of humour.

In the year of Napoleon’s coronation, writes Ann Kindersley, three patriotic Serbs officially asked for the help of the Tsar in their revolt against the Turks.

Henry I. Kurtz describes how subduing the Indians of the Plains was one of the chief tasks of the United States Army after the close of the Civil War.

For 1,000 years before the invention of printing, writes J.J.N. McGurk, handwriting in its various European scripts was a fine art

R.W. Davies describes how the legions and their auxiliaries were employed by Roman Governors to maintain law and order in their provinces.

‘The story of Charles XII,’ wrote Voltaire, ‘was entertaining; that of Peter instructive.’ A. Lentin describes a unique example of early modern Franco-Russian relations.

Colin Davies describes how, in the 6th century B.C., Miletus became the birthplace of Western science and philosophy.

Hugh Carleton Greene heads to the Caribbean to find a long-lost relative.

J.J.N. McGurk describes how vanity and the ambitions of families and religious houses prompted the widespread invention of documents upon property and genealogy.