History Today

Cnut’s Rivals

A new old take on the Danish succession, complete with tales of derring do.

St Nicholas of Myra

The patron saint of children and barrel-makers died on 6 December 343.

Courtesy the artist, Hollybush Gardens and National Museums, Liverpool/International Slavery Museum. Installation view at Spike Island, Bristol. Photography Stuart Whipps

Lubaina Himid: Naming the Un-Named

Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid’s artworks fill in the gaps that history leaves behind.

Coal Industry Comes Under Public Ownership in Britain

A legislative highlight of the great reforming post-war Labour Government took effect on 1 January 1947.

Henri of Navarre: The Conclusion of the French Wars of Religion

Henri of Navarre is one of the most complex and fascinating personalities among the ruler of France.

Booksellers along the banks of the Seine, Paris, Willem van de Poll, 1965. Nationaal Archief. Public Domain.

Don’t Judge an Olympia Press Book by its Cover

A Parisian pornographer who modernised literature with Olympia Press, Maurice Girodias concealed counter-cultural classics behind deceptively drab covers.

A Postwar Progress

A former editor of History Today looks back on a life mixing the personal and the political.

Members and supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party gather for its 45th anniversary in Jakarta's Soviet-built sports stadium, 23 May 1965.

Indonesia: A Nation’s Silent Slaughter

The Indonesian genocide of 1965 has been smothered in silence for half a century.

Against the Grain

Sweet it may be, but sugar's story is a bitter one, embracing slavery, decay and obesity.

Survey the Wondrous Cross

The Crucifixion is at the heart of Christianity and has inspired countless images and experiences.