The invasion of Poland by Tsar Alexis of Russia in May, 1654, marked the emergence of his country as a major European power. As Philip Longworth argues here, it was also to inaugurate, albeit indirectly, a decisive stage in the Westernisation of Russia.
Japan had two great infatuations with the West: in the 1870s and during the American occupation of 1945-52. Forsaking traditional isolationism, Japan welcomed Western ideas and customs with open arms, and according to Jean-Pierre Lehmann, what resulted was not an ersatz Western culture but one that retained a distinct national identity
Dixon Hoste attempts to locate a common element between Marxism and traditional Chinese ideas.
Charles Seltman traces the idea of the ruler not only great but good—helper and protector of his subjects—back to Alexander of Macedon.
A study of the dangers and difficulties that confronted the young Queen in 1558, and of the courageous strategy by which she overcame them. By J.E. Neale.
Peter Allen looks at the Palace of Potala in lhasa, Tibet.
Edited by David Vincent
The loss to the Turks of Constantinople, the ancient capital of the Eastern Empire, in 1453 had been a terrible blow to Christendom. It was the crusading dream of Charles V, argues Sinclair Atkins, to reconquer the Byzantine city.
With their differing approaches Weizmann and Ben-Gurion were the founding fathers of the state of Israel. Inspired by Herzl they laboured to give Zionism unity, force, world respect and, ultimately, a homeland.
At first allowed by the British politicians “only just as much space as he could stand upon” Queen Victoria’s Consort, nevertheless, succeeded in setting the pattern for modern constitutional monarchy, as G.H.L. LeMay here shows.
