History Today

St Nicholas dispensing toys to children whilst Krampus slinks off, early 20th century postcard. Provincial Public Library Hieronim Łopaciński, Poland. Public Domain.

Saint Nicholas Becomes a Myth

On 6 December 343, Saint Nicholas died but his miracles continued. Eventually, the man was replaced by the myth of Santa Claus – if he even existed at all.

A souvenir postcard from the Prince of Wales’ visit to Japan in 1922. MFA Boston. Public Domain.

‘One Fine Day’ and ‘Imperial Island’ review

One Fine Day: Britain’s Empire on the Brink by Matthew Parker and Imperial Island: A History of Empire in Modern Britain by Charlotte Lydia Riley are filled with ambition.

Students on board the Floating University, from Walter Harris, Photographs of the First University World Cruise (1927). Courtesy of the author, Walter C. Harris, University Travel Association.

Was the 1926 Floating University a Failure?

In 1926 an American university went to sea and caused an international scandal. Could it still be considered a success?

The March for Equality and Against Racism in Mulhouse, Alsace, November 1983. Getty Images.

France’s Long March Against Racism

In 1983 the March for Equality and Against Racism from Marseille to Paris marked the coming of age of a new French generation.

Alternative Histories: Antarctica, 1912

The latest in Rob Murray's series of Alternative History cartoons.

Madonna of the Meadow (Madonna with the Christ Child and Saint John the Baptist), by Raphael, 1506. Art Library/Alamy Stock Photo.

The Lost Years of Jesus

Did Jesus have a difficult childhood? Was his youth spent in Egypt or England, India or Japan? The four canonical gospels are quiet on his early life, leading some to speculate.

The Battle of Verneuil from the Vigiles du roi Charles VII, c. 1484. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Public Domain.

‘The Hundred Years War Vol 5’ by Jonathan Sumption review

The Hundred Years War Vol 5: Triumph and Illusion by Jonathan Sumption charts the English downfall and France’s triumph to bring the epic five-volume history to its conclusion.

A Charles I shilling, minted in 1644-45, showing signs of clipping as part of the Yellow Trade. The Portable Antiquities Scheme/ The Trustees of the British Museum (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The Yellow Trade in Counterfeit Coins

How Yorkshire’s Yellow Trade of coin clippers and counterfeiters changed Britain’s economy in the 18th century.

The eruption of Vesuvius depicted in Giovanni Pacini’s opera, L’ultimo giorno di Pompei, 1827. The Getty Research Institute, via Wikipedia.

Volcanoes on Tour: Recreating Vesuvius

In the age of enlightenment, the public developed a taste for sheer spectacle. Suitably awe-inspiring, dazzling versions of the world’s most famous volcano, Vesuvius, could soon be found across Europe and North America.

Czech sokol participants at a slet at Strahov Stadium, Prague, 1948. CTK/Alamy Stock Photo.

Sokol: An Exercise in Czech Nation-Building

In the late 19th century a new trend captured the Czech people –gymnastics. But sokol was more than just exercise: a healthy body was a healthy nation and the Czechs wanted independence.