History Today

England, Land of Lost Content

England has been conflated with Britain for so long that unravelling English history from that of its Celtic neighbours is a difficult task. Paul Lay considers recent histories of England and its people.

Who Got Mao Right?

The legacy of the Great Helmsman is the source of bitter conflict over China’s future direction, argues Tim Stanley.

How Oil Became King

The great historical shifts in energy use, from wood to coal, to oil, nuclear power and beyond, have transformed civilisation and will do so again, as Richard Rhodes explains.

The Olympics on Film

London 2012 will be the biggest television spectacle ever. Taylor Downing reflects on the extraordinary links between the Olympics and the moving picture throughout their histories.

King Arthur and the Church

Often portrayed as a paragon of Christian virtue, the real King Arthur was an embarrassment to the Church, writes Simon Andrew Stirling.

The Battering Ram

Roger Hudson on the circumstances behind an eviction in County Clare, Ireland, photographed in July 1888.

In Pursuit of the Apocalypse

Christian apocalyptic literature and ecological predictions both anticipate the end of the world. Are they born of the same tradition, asks Jean-François Mouhot?