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
Features
Here you can explore our archive of long form pieces, written by expert historians. In these features, they explain where they found their ideas, how they crafted their stories, what new discoveries they have made and arguments they have proposed.
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'
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
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
Who Was King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway?
Don Hollway tells us about the extraordinary life of Olaf Tryggvason, the Viking King of Norway
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
The Hapsburgs and the French Revolution
Upon the outbreak of the French Revolution, Europe's first family, the Hapsburg, were propelled into a crisis that they struggled to contain
