Making History

A valedictory column provides a chance to reflect on a decade grappling with what history is and how it should be written.

Menopause is an inescapable fact of life. Why is history silent on it?

The end of the year was a time for fasting, feasting and poking fun at the status quo.

Lions are noble; unicorns pure. Knowing how to decipher heraldry reveals the aspirations – and humour – of the regal past.

Swear words are a constant, but their ability to cause offence is in flux. In the 1600s, today's obscenities were mundane.

There are several obstacles between Tudor women and their biographers. Bypassing them is a slow but necessary process. 

History books by men are bought in far greater quantities than those by women. Why?

The support and camaraderie of close-knit communities were a double-edged sword. Nothing was private and reputations could be ruined at the twitch of the curtain.

Recent studies show the benefits and limitations of giving voice to the thoughts of our predecessors. 

E.H. Carr’s belief that the histories we get depend on the questions we ask is more relevant than ever.