Social

The Asian influenza epidemic of 1957 killed more than 16,000 people in Britain and more than a million globally. It exposed the fragility of the antibiotic age.

Jörg Friedrich’s horrifying account of the Allied bombing raids caused a stir on its first publication in Germany. Now it has been translated into English, and York Membery has canvassed some leading British historians for their views.

Marius Ostrowski explains why the Church was so dominant in the Middle ages, but also sees traces of a growing secularism.

George Bernard Shaw influenced the Abdication Crisis with a short play that has been forgotten in the last seventy years. 

While Hezbollah often hits the headlines, its history is less familiar. The emergence of Shia militancy in Lebanon was centuries in the making.

Sylvia Pankhurst was taken to the women's jail at Holloway on October 24th, 1906.

Graham Noble examines the origins and traces the consequences of the notorious Edict of 1492.

Michael Broers argues that the influence of Napoleon’s Empire was out of all proportion to its duration.

Graham Goodlad examines the management of public opinion by British governments between the French Revolutionary conflict and the Great War.

Viv Sanders puts an inspiring figure, and an important event, into historical perspective.