March 2011

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Adam Nicholson and Pauline Croft separately consider the genesis of the Bible that has shaped religious culture in Britain, and around the world. Adam Nicholson also fronts a new BBC Four programme, due to air in March, on how the King James Bible came into being.

If Britain wasn’t to starve in the Second World War, then the Merchant Navy simply had to win its duel with the Kriegsmarine’s U-boats. GH Bennett explores the desperate six-year campaign to preserve the Atlantic supply line.

As records of gifts offered to a monarch in return for concessions or favours, fine rolls offer a fascinating insight into the life of the nation. David Carpenter picks out some interesting aspects of a new translation from the reign of Henry III.

With Census Day 2011 approaching fast, Edward Higgs reveals how Britain’s statisticians met the Herculean challenge of producing an accurate survey of the working population in the 19th century.

In the first of a new series, Dominic Sandbrook nominates 2 August 1100 – when William II met his demise in the New Forest – as a big day in history.

Niall Ferguson’s new book and TV series tackle one of the fundamental questions of world history – how the west came to dominate the rest. In March's issue he reveals the ‘killer apps’ that powered western civilization and considers how much longer the west’s supremacy will last.

As we approach the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, Robert Cook explains how the 1961 centennial commemorations were undermined by racial tensions.

Paul Cartledge begins our new holiday series by paying a visit to a destination from the past with tips on when to go, what to take and where to visit – this month it's Olympia 480BC, the year of the 75th Olympiad.

Charlotte Hodgman speaks to Professor John Morrill about the War of Three Kingdoms, and takes a look at eight places related to the bloody conflicts that took place across the kingdoms of England, Ireland and Wales between 1638 and 1650.