Who Killed James VI and I?
The accusation that James VI of Scotland and I of England was murdered by his favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, may have been a false one but it was widely believed.
History Today
Forth Railway Bridge, 1888
Roger Hudson describes how the ‘stiffest bridge in the world’ took shape following a railway disaster in 1897.
‘Bloody Mary’ born at Greenwich Palace
The future queen of England and Ireland was born on February 18th, 1516.
Cicero and the Power of Rhetoric
Catherine Steel traces the incredible longevity of Cicero’s great corpus of works, the study of which has helped to illuminate the intellectual and social culture of the late Roman Republic.
Rhodes Must Fall? A Question of When Not If
The British Empire is not the first – nor last – great power to see its icons crumble.
Plague and Prejudice
Epidemics spread mistrust, as communities seek to blame their plight on outsiders or those at the margins of society. Yet the historical record reveals that outbreaks are more likely to bring people together than force them apart.
Calculating the Return of Halley’s Comet
Halley’s Comet will not be visible again until 2061. But how did scientists discover how to accurately predict its return?
A History of Consumer Culture
The notion that ‘Greed is Good’ was not born in the 1980s, nor even in the 20th century. Frank Trentmann traces the roots of today’s rampant consumer culture to the imperial ambitions of the great European powers.
King Henry of Haiti
Amid the instability of post-revolutionary Haiti, torn between Britain and France, Henry Christophe rose from lowly roots to become its ruler. Paul Clammer remembers his vital role in shaping a new kingdom.
The Strange Tale of the Kibbo Kift Kindred
The Boy Scout movement produced a little-known offshoot of ‘intellectual Barbarians’, whose charismatic leader had dreams of overcoming the existential crises of the 20th century.