A Blueprint for Byzantine Power
An embattled emperor offered guidance to his successors in the shape of a ‘mirror for princes’.
History Matters
Thoughts, opinions and commentary on all things historical.
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The Unusual Afterlife of Richard Parker
A tale of mutiny, scandal, post-mortem celebrity and repeated body snatching in the 18th century.
What Makes a ‘Good’ Migrant?
The division of migrants into those who are of benefit to British society and those who are not has a long history.
Weathering Storms
Even in the 19th century the effects of natural disasters like hurricanes were never entirely natural.
The Poisoned Will of Jean Meslier
A French priest’s shocking attack on religion called for the fall of altars and the heads of kings.
Remedies Against the Devil and Dementia
The medical advice in Bald’s Leechbook outlasted the language in which it was written.
‘The Turkish Lawrence of Arabia’
The dramatic life of the outlaw and special agent Eşref Bey epitomises the end of the Ottoman Empire.
Tourist Trinkets: The Medieval Pilgrim Badge
The cult of saints affected everyone in medieval Europe. A voracious souvenir market was one of its consequences.
Passchendaele: What’s in a Name?
How did an evocatively named Flanders village become shorthand for a whole series of battles around the Belgian city of Ypres?
Tacitus’ Perfect Man
Accounts of the life of Germanicus are complex, fascinating and open to interpretation.