Charles Emmerson

A French graphic on ‘The Question of Fiume’ showing that within the city itself Italians outnumber other ethnicities, c. 1920. Library of Congress. Public Domain.

Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Fiume Escapade

Gabriele D'Annunzio’s conquest of the Adriatic city of Fiume in 1919 was flamboyant, comedic and never likely to last – but it ushered in a new era of showman politics across Europe.

Ukraine and Russia’s History Wars

In Ukraine, it’s not just the future which is at stake. It’s the past, too.

Russia on the Eve of the First World War

The year 1913 marked a resurgence for the Russian empire as the Romanov dynasty celebrated its 300th anniversary and the economy boomed. Had it not been for the First World War the country’s fortunes might have taken a very different turn, says Charles Emmerson.