History Matters

Thoughts, opinions and commentary on all things historical.

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Fractious Waters

The controversy over fracking finds echoes in 19th-century concerns over groundwater.

Recorded History

Proposed changes to the way the census is compiled may hinder future historians’ understanding of the past.

Were the Borgias Really So Bad?

Alexander Lee attempts to rescue the Borgia family from their baleful reputation as a political – and papal – dynasty steeped in sin.

Egyptian Harbingers

The army has been a player in the affairs of Egypt for at least 5,000 years, says Tom Holland.

Gibraltar: A Rock and a Hard Place

Since ownership passed from Spain to Britain in 1713, the Rock of Gibraltar has played an ambiguous – sometimes unwelcome role – in British history.