Birth of John Jacob Astor
The self-made American was born on July 17th, 1763.
Volume 63 Issue 7 July 2013
Robert Bridges Appointed Poet Laureate
The poet was appointed on July 16th, 1913.
The First of the Romanov Tsars is Crowned
The great Russian dynasty was founded on July 22nd, 1613.
Death in the Baltic
The Wilhelm Gustloff, once an elegant cruise-liner of Hitler’s Reich, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine on the night of 30 January 1945.
The Politics of Wine in 18th-century England
After the upheavals of 1688, England’s shifting social order needed new ways to define itself. A taste for fine claret became one such marker of wealth and power, as Charles Ludington explains.
Churchill: The Bulldog Still Bites
Almost 50 years after his death, Churchill continues to fascinate historians, says Roland Quinault.
For the Public Good
As English universities seek more diverse means of funding, Jill Pellew looks at the ways in which philanthropists helped to establish universities in three very different locations during the early 20th century.
St Columba, Scotland's First Minister
Though Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, the influence of St Columba on Scottish Christianity remains profound. Ian Bradley examines the Celtic evangelist’s legacy 1,450 years after his arrival on the Hebridean island of Iona.
The Medici and the Art of Power
Alexander Lee admires an article by Frederick Godfrey from 1952, reflecting new attitudes towards the Renaissance.
In Focus: The Imperial Penny Post
Roger Hudson considers a photogaph showing London postmen as part of a vast, global mail network.