Henry III and the Magna Carta that mattered
King John’s sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215 is one of the most feted moments of the Middle Ages. Yet, as this Long Read written by David Carpenter explains, it was in fact a charter issued...
17 Mar 202521min
Marco Polo's adventures: lands of make believe?
Marco Polo’s adventures in Asia earned him lasting fame. But are his accounts of these travels essentially works of fiction? In this Long Read, historian Peter Jackson investigates whether we can trus...
10 Mar 202520min
The gunpowder plot: how to build a radical
The experiences that radicalised Guy Fawkes and his gunpowder plot co-conspirators into violent extremists sound all too familiar today. This Long Read, written by Lucy Worsley, tells a story of relig...
3 Mar 202517min
The battle of Monte Cassino: a hill to die on
In early 1944, the Allied advance in Italy was brought to a halt at a rocky outcrop called Monte Cassino. This Long Read, written by historian James Holland, explores how flawed leadership was to blam...
24 Feb 202524min
Why sex was a sin in the Middle Ages
Celibacy barely merits a mention in the Bible. Yet, by the early Middle Ages, it was being celebrated as a shortcut to a seat next to God. In this Long Read written by Diarmaid MacCulloch, we explore ...
17 Feb 202518min
Ptolemy XII: Cleopatra's father from hell
The tragic fate of Cleopatra has long overshadowed her predecessor, Ptolemy XII. But, as this Long Read written by Diana T Nikolova explains, it’s impossible to understand the daughter’s downfall with...
10 Feb 202519min
Keep smiling: the history of happiness
What can history teach us about how to find joy? In this Long Read written by Katie Barclay, we share five lessons from the past about the pursuit of happiness – from the warmth family can provide to ...
3 Feb 202520min
Winston Churchill: still the greatest?
Of all the figures in the pantheon of British history, Winston Churchill is consistently ranked amongst the greatest. But how far does this legendary legacy stretch? In this Long Read written by David...
27 Jan 202525min
