A Napoleonic Hoax
In April 2002, Robert Knecht wrote an article about his quest to find Napoleonic treasure. Now, suspecting the letter which prompted it might be a hoax, he revisits the evidence.
Recently published
Russians Abroad – Old and New
Russian hooligans at a football match might be a relative novelty, but there is nothing new under the sun.
Louis XVI's flight from Paris
The royal flight to Varennes took place on June 20th, 1791.
Prostitution in Ireland
Life for the poor in 18th- and 19th-century Ireland was hard and, for many women, prostitution was the only option. But the bawdy houses were rife with disease and police did little to protect women from violent customers.
Shifting Sands: Historians Change Their Minds
Inspired by a recent article in the New Statesman, we asked seven historians about how their understanding of the past has changed.
Welfare for the Wounded
The Civil Wars of the 17th century prompted pioneering medical care and welfare, provided by the state not just for soldiers but for the widows and children they left behind, as Eric Gruber von Arni and Andrew Hopper show.
Portrait of the Author as a Historian: Stefan Zweig
The Austrian writer, whose short stories and novellas have recently enjoyed a new burst of popularity, used history to remind us that a better life is possible, as Alexander Lee explains in his new series.
A Guide to Occult London
An introduction to some of the important figures, myths, and places in the city’s history.
Birth of Cole Porter
The songwriter was born on June 9th, 1891.
Obituary: Professor James Campbell
A leading Anglo-Saxon scholar, whose influence will be felt for generations to come.