The Last Testaments of Richard II and Henry IV
Tyrant and usurper: the last wills of Richard II and Henry IV give rare insight into the medieval monarchs who wore the crown.
Recently published
The Great Fire of Smyrna
As the Ottoman Empire crumbled, the Greek and Armenian quarters of Smyrna were set ablaze on 13 September 1922 by the vengeful Turkish army.
Aliens and the Enlightenment
In the 18th century the existence of extraterrestrial life went from debatable hypothesis to fundamental tenet of Enlightenment thought.
‘Straight Acting’ by Will Tosh review
Bard romance? Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare by Will Tosh sets the stage for the next wave of accessible queer histories.
‘Catherine de’ Medici’ by Mary Hollingsworth review
In Catherine de’ Medici: The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen, Mary Hollingsworth helps the pragmatic queen escape her ‘black legend’.
How to Rescue the Reputation of the Nasty Normans
The villains of British history, the Normans can be a difficult sell. But going off script has its rewards.
The Women who Forged Medieval England
Who were the female blacksmiths of medieval England?
‘Outposts of Diplomacy’ by G.R. Berridge review
Outposts of Diplomacy: A History of the Embassy by G.R. Berridge shows us that debates about the role of the ambassador are as old as the institution itself.
On the Spot: Alice Hunt
‘What is the most common misconception about my field? That the republic was an absolute failure and the Restoration inevitable.’
Saving Southeast Asia’s Sunken Warships
Shipwrecks are an easily overlooked material legacy of the Second World War, but they are rising to the surface as diplomatic issues.