The Chain Tower, the Siege of Damietta and the Fifth Crusade
Thomas Smith revisits a dramatic moment from the Fifth Crusade when the Christians besieged the port of Damietta.
Bookshelf
Welcome to the Unseen Histories bookshelf. Here you can read excerpts from new history books as well as browsing our archive of previews. These, published monthly, showcase the boldest and best new history writing across all eras of the past.
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.
The Lady of the Land: The Pioneering Life of Eve Balfour
Robert Ashton outlines the experimental researches of the English aristocrat, farmer, educator and organic farming pioneer Lady Eve Balfour
Frederick Banting and the Discovery of Insulin
Dr Saira Hameed tells the story of Frederick Banting's transformative research on insulin – work that would save the lives of tens of millions of diabetics
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
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
New History Books for March 2026
From Silence to the Battle of Trafalgar, King Henry VII to Adolf Hitler
New History Books for February 2026
From the Samurais to the Fascists, Charlotte Brontë to Daniel Defoe