History Today

Duff Cooper examines the consistencies and differences between two centuries’ worth of Prime Ministers and asks, 'Has there been a truly great statesman among them?’

An acute commentator on the French Revolution and on the development of the United States, Tocqueville foresaw a century ago many of the political and social problems that face democracy today. Gordon Philo introduces his life and career.

Claud Cockborn explains how British bloodstock has its origins in a small group of Arab horses first imported in the seventeenth century.

Four times Prime Minister, Gladstone owes his great reputation, A.F. Thompson argues, less to his achievements in office than to his character and personality.

2000 years ago, writes William Y. Willetts, magnificent Silks from China began to reach the wealthy families of Rome.

J.H. Plumb shows how, between 1857 and 1888, after much controversy, the mystery of the Nile’s source was finally solved by the successive discoveries of Speke, Burton, Livingstone and Stanley.

A study of diplomacy in transition by Nicholas Henderson

James Kinross tells the story of the French Foreign Legion, a force famous for fighting in Africa, Russia, Mexico, Indo-China and France itself, as well as across the world.

A Liberal, a Catholic and a great Historian who yet never composed a great work of history—these are some of the aspects in which Roland Hill considers Lord Acton's career.

Thomas Balston profiles John Boydell, Lord Mayor of London in 1790, who created the first great printselling business in Britain, and could count Reynolds, Romney, Fuseli, Benjamin West, and Wright of Derby among the artists who worked for him.