History Today

Skanderbeg: a Man for Our Times?

Albania’s greatest military hero Gjergj Kastrioti, also known as Skanderbeg, dedicated his life to fighting for his beleaguered homeland.

The Ascension

A master of the early Renaissance depicts the moment that Christians regard as the confirmation of Jesus’ divinity.

Whose Civilising Mission?

The story of the skull of a victim of the Indian Uprising of 1857 raises profound questions about imperialism.  

The Female Gaze Made Flesh

There were many obstacles preventing women from becoming artists in the 18th century, but those who overcame them created some of the most influential art of their time. 

Mermaids and Mermen

Some of the most intelligent people in early modern Europe were convinced of the existence of merpeople.

The United States of Greece

The urge to create a Greek nation state goes back millennia. Its success depended on a shared notion of ‘Greekness’ across widespread city states. 

On the Streets of New York City

The pushcarts of the Lower East Side epitomised New York’s bustling immigrant community. The drive to Americanise brought about their demise and changed the streets forever. 

Weapons of War in the Crusades

Turkish archers versus Frankish heavy cavalry. The Crusades marked a period of technological breakthroughs in the art of war that would decide the conflict.