Cultural

Raymond E Role explores the evolution of the intramural games that began in the Middle Ages and still flourish in Italy today.

George Orwell's last novel was published on 8 June, 1949.

Robert Hole examines the often misunderstood careers of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano, whose power in Renaissance Florence was wielded with great subtlety and skill.

Ronald Kowalski and Dilwyn Porter place a famous series of football matches into the context of sports history, politics and international relations.

The popularity of the sci-fi epic Star Wars proved timely for Ronald Reagan and the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Ian Bradley reflects on the origins and development of Christmas carols.

Jay Winter describes the mixed emotions of combatants and non-combatants at the moment the Great War ended.

Katherine Ott

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.

How Napoleon laid up trouble for future generations of Frenchmen by kick-starting Prussian and German domination of Eastern Europe.