Who Was The Venerable Bede and Why Does He Matter?
The Venerable Bede is one of the most significant figures in Anglo Saxon history. As Edoardo Albert explains, he was a scholar, an historian and a visionary.
Archive
New History Books for June 2026
Our pick of new history books for June. From Alexander the Great to the Great Exhibition, the South Seas to Iran.
Hans Welser and John Rayner: Experts of Cold War British Propaganda
Rory Cormac tells us about Hans Welser and John Rayner two British propaganda agents who operated from WW2 through the Cold War.
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
Who Was King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway?
Don Hollway tells us about the extraordinary life of Olaf Tryggvason, the Viking King of Norway.
New History Books for May 2026
Our pick of new history books for May. From the Vikings to the Weimar Republic, the Georgian Dining Room to Winston Churchill.
The Thrilling Finish to the 1908 Olympic Marathon
The marathon at the 1908 Olympic Games in London provided one of the most dramatic moments in the history of athletics
The Might and the Mystery of King Offa of Mercia
Offa of Mercia is an enigmatic figure in Anglo Saxon history. Powerful and respected, Rory Naismith tells us about this formidable king
The Royal Air Force's Bombing Offensive Against Nazi Germany
Richard Strachan, author of the WW2 novel Night Fire, examines the history behind the RAF's aggressive bombing campaign against the Germans
The Beauty and the Terror in Renoir’s ‘Pink and Blue’
This 1881 portrait of Alice and Elisabeth Cahen d'Anvers would inspire Catherine Ostler's The Renoir Girls
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
October 1989: Proclamation of the Republic of Hungary
This photograph shows the US ambassador among the crowds as the Republic of Hungary was proclaimed by Mátyás Szűrös in 1989