Sex and Mr Gladstone
Trevor Fischer takes a second look at the Victorian prime minister's fascination with street-walkers.
History Today
Monastic Habits in Medieval Worcester
The monastery was the focus of the local community in many medieval towns. Emma Mason describes the way of life of the monks and the young people in their care in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Re-running Marathon
The Battle of Marathon has long been presented as the decisive moment at which Greeks led by the newly democratic Athenians gained the upper hand over the despotic Persians. Barry Baldwin reappraises the battle, and explains why it is still a byword for endurance.
Death of Tom Cribb
Richard Cavendish remembers the death of a prizefighter, on May 11th 1848
Martin Luther King’s Half-Forgotten Dream
By adulating King for his work in the Civil Rights campaigns, we have misrepresented the complexity of those struggles and ignored some of the equally challenging campaigns of his last years.
Napoleon and Polish Identity
Poland is the only country in the world to invoke Napoleon in its national anthem. Andrzej Nieuwazny explains how Bonaparte has retained a hold over Polish imagination throughout the last two centuries.
Japan's Uncomfortable Past
Gavan McCormack analyses the attempts by the Japanese nation to deal with its uncomfortable past.
Foundation of the State of Israel
Richard Cavendish describes the formation of the state of Israel, proclaimed by David Ben-Gurion, on May 14th, 1948.
Liberty or Licence?
Stephen Spielberg’s blockbuster Amistad claims to educate as well as entertain; but how accurate is his portrayal of this slave revolt? John Thornton looks at the facts behind the film.
Million Murdering Death
Geoff Butcher describes how, throughout history, Malaria has played a major role in affecting the outcome of human endeavour.