History Today

The Hunt for Medieval Kings

As the search for lost medieval kings continues, interest in them seems stronger than ever. But a warning from the past speaks of their – and our – ruin.

A Separate Australia

Western Australia’s desire to secede as ‘Westralia’ in 1933 was undermined by a change in Britain’s attitude towards its Empire.

The Cultural Revolution: A People's History

Mao Zedong’s brutal campaign to purify Communist China, which began in the early 1960s, resulted in a decade of chaos that has left an indelible stain on the nation’s politics.

The Great Fire of London

The rebuilding of London required an image of what had been lost. Kate Wiles shares one such survey from 1669.

Verdun: The Killing Field

The epic German offensive to take the strategically crucial fortress in north-east France reached its bloody end in September 1916. Robert Foley looks at how and why Erich von Falkenhayn, the Chief of the German General Staff, sought to break the deadlock on the Western Front.

Burning Books

As the holders of both our cultural and personal memories, books seem sacred and their destruction, no matter the cause, is always shocking.

Botswana after Independence

Since gaining independence Botswana’s history has not been without turmoil, but the country has emerged as a model African state.