Napoleon III and the Disastrous Battle of Sedan in 1870
Edward Shawcross traces the course of the Battle of Sedan in September 1870, a defeat that would spell the end for the Second Empire.
'Strange Shaped Beasts & Glorious Feathered Birds': The Tudor and Stuart Craze for American Animals
From Anne Boleyn's South American monkey to jaguar claws and parrots, Lauren Working explains how the Early Modern England sought to import the treasures of America.
Hannah Durkin's Search for the Last US Survivors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
A decade ago Hannah Durkin began to search for the last survivors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Here she tells us about the Wolfson Prize winning book that emerged.
★ EDITOR'S PICKS
Jane Austen The Magical Novelist With John Mullan
250 years after she was born, Jane Austen continues to outwit her readers, as John Mullan explains
Decoding The Voynich Manuscript
Garry J. Shaw on the efforts to decode the world's most mysterious manuscript
Josef Mengele the Elusive Nazi with Betina Anton
Betina Anton explains how one of the most infamous Nazis remained at large for decades after the end of the Second World War
Johnny Reynolds The Daredevil 'Human Fly' (1917)
On Wednesday 5 September 1917, the daredevil climber Johnny Reynolds performed in Washington D.C.
Bookshelf
Napoleon III and the Disastrous Battle of Sedan in 1870
Edward Shawcross traces the course of the Battle of Sedan in September 1870, a defeat that would spell the end for the Second Empire.
'Strange Shaped Beasts & Glorious Feathered Birds': The Tudor and Stuart Craze for American Animals
From Anne Boleyn's South American monkey to jaguar claws and parrots, Lauren Working explains how the Early Modern England sought to import the treasures of America.
New History Books for Summer 2026
Our pick of new history books for Summer 2026. From the Bayeux Tapestry to Napoleon III, Elizabeth Barton to Benito Mussolini.
Teddy Boys and Teenage Dreams: The 1950s Youth Club
Emma Warren explains how the British youth club became an exciting and revolutionary place in the years after the Second World War.
Features
Hannah Durkin's Search for the Last US Survivors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
A decade ago Hannah Durkin began to search for the last survivors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Here she tells us about the Wolfson Prize winning book that emerged.
The Mysterious Origins of Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' is one of the most recognisable and beloved of all pieces of classical music. The author Hannah French investigates its origins
The Haunting Magic of Tudor Buildings
In the nineteenth century the Victorians sought to emulate the charm and beauty of the Tudor home. Jonathan Glancey, author of Where We Live, argues that we should do the same
‘History is the best guide to the future we’ve got’ – Murray Pittock on Scottish Identity
Louis D. Hall talks to Professor Murray Pittock about the challenges he confronted while writing 'The Shortest History of Scotland'
Interviews
Iran's Stolen Revolution with Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati
The story of post-revolutionary Iran has been one of missed opportunities and of a government betraying its people, explain the authors of a new history of the period
The History of Aston Villa Football Club with Rob Bishop
Rob Bishop is Aston Villa's club historian. Here he tells us how he landed this singular job and about the rich history of one of England's greatest football teams
The General Strike of 1926 with Jonathan Schneer
The General Strike of 1926 marked a precarious moment in British political and social history, as Jonathan Schneer explains
Adolf Hitler's Strange Death with Caroline Sharples
On 30 April 1945 Adolf Hitler committed suicide in Berlin. But the story of the Führer's death is more complicated than these bare facts suggest, explains the historian Caroline Sharples
Snapshot
On Ocean Beach Beside the Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco (1902)
The Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco overlooked Ocean Beach – a place that drew crowds in hot weather. This colourised photograph shows people taking a 'sun bath'.
What is a Blockade – and Do They Work?
As President Trump announces his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, we glance back at the history of this military tactic