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A portrait of Russian empress Catherine the Great

Hypocrite, reactionary, usurper, sex maniac: is Catherine the Great’s reputation justified?

First World War

Franz Ferdinand “This mythologised murder did not trigger WW1”

A brief history of US abortion law, before and after Roe v Wade

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Pod Kevin Mcdonald WL

The Mali empire: everything you wanted to know . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The fourth earl of Sandwich, contemplating a sandwich in a thought bubble

Did the Earl of Sandwich invent the sandwich?

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Pride month in the UK

A portrait of Anne Lister

The real Gentleman Jack: the secret life of Anne Lister, Britain’s ‘first modern lesbian’

Terracotta plaque which is believed to show the poet Sappho rejecting an amorous advance by her contemporary who is also from the island of Lesbos. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

General History

From Sappho to It’s a Sin: 9 LGBT+ histories, chosen by experts

We mark LGBT+ History Month with a panel discussion tackling some of the biggest themes in LGBTQ history. (Image by Getty Images)

The big questions of LGBTQ history

RuPaul – who produces and presents the reality TV show bearing his name – performs during a Gay Rights March in Washington, DC, April 1993. Over 500,000 LGBTQ+ activists and allies participated in a gathering organised to end discrimination. (Photo by Porter Gifford/Liaison)

From Fanny and Stella to Ru Paul’s Drag Race: a short history of drag

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Russia and Ukraine: events in context

Russian civil war, 1919

General History

Russia-Ukraine crisis: 9 milestone moments in history that explain today’s invasion

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Pod Kristina Spohr WL

Why the Ukraine conflict isn’t a new Cold War . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Peter Caddick-Adams

Peter Caddick-Adams on the laws of war “Russian politicians and military figures behind the awful events unfolding in Ukraine will, one day, be brought to justice”

Stalin’s famine: a brief history of the Holodomor in Soviet Ukraine

Genocide: what can we learn from history?

9 history podcast episodes that chart Russia and Ukraine’s changing interactions with the world

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Princess Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour, who may have abused the young princess

Did Thomas Seymour sexually abuse the teenage Princess Elizabeth?

General History

The history rich list: the 10 wealthiest people ever

Firemen tackling a blitz fire at St Paul's Cathedral, London

Second World War

WW2 timeline: 20 important dates and milestones you need to know

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Henry VIII’s mistresses: who else did the Tudor king sleep with?

On this day in history

What happened on this day in the past? Historian Dominic Sandbrook rounds up the landmark events, births, deaths and more...

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29 June

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28 June

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27 June

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26 June

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Historical Q&As

How did Spanish Flu get its name? When did our ancestors start using toilet paper? Why did the famous Crystal Palace burn down? And where was the WW1 Armistice signed? Here are the top questions about history, answered by historians and experts…

A woman reading a vintage thesaurus

Q&A Who wrote the first thesaurus?

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Q&A Were vampires buried with a stake through their heart?

Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, better known to history as the Ladies of Llangollen

Q&A Who were the Ladies of Llangollen?

Dancers perform in a Cinco de Mayo celebration

Q&A What does Cinco de Mayo commemorate?

A wall mosaic of Picasso’s Guernica painting.

Q&A Why did Pablo Picasso paint Guernica?

Photo of Holy Trinity Church

Q&A Where is William Shakespeare buried – and is there a curse on his grave?

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HistoryExtra Podcast

The latest episodes from the History Extra podcast

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Casanova: more than a serial seducer . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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From bohemian Brighton to military Plymouth: the LGBTQ history of four British cities . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Queen Tiye Overshadowed ancient Egyptian royal . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Marie Tharp Ground-breaking cartographer . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Franz Nopsca Hungarian adventurer and palaeontologist . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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St Wilfrid Quarrelsome church reformer . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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More of our latest articles

Austrian crown prince Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie

First World War

The shot that sparked the First World War

Nisha Katona and Samuel Pepys

History hero Nisha Katona chooses Samuel Pepys (1633–1703)

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The life and death of Elvis Presley

AIDS: The Unheard Tapes

History TV and radio in the UK: what’s on our screens in June 2022?

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Picture galleries

Explore our historical galleries covering a wide range of historical periods and topics…

England's World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore (1941–93) kisses the Jules Rimet World Cup trophy after England's 4-2 win over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London. Also pictured are Moore's team-mates George Cohen, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

In pictures: when England won the football World Cup

'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings: a guide to 8 famous works

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In pictures: 150 years of the British Red Cross

Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in season 4 of 'The Crown'. (Photo by Netflix)

The Crown S4 news: Netflix releases first images of Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher

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History Quizzes

How much do you know about history? Test out your knowledge with our quizzes...

How much do you know about the Vikings? Test your knowledge with our quiz. This mid-19th century painting shows Viking ships on the River Thames. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

History quiz: How much do you know about the Vikings?

People praying for relief from the bubonic plague, circa 1350. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Medieval history quiz

Edward I of England. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Medieval history quiz – royal succession

The effects of the disease known as the Black Death

History quiz: how much do you know about the Black Death?

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Popular historic periods

Portrait of King Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Prince Edward. (Photo by Getty Images)

Tudor

Illustrated Medieval scene from the Romance of Lancelot

Medieval

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Victorian

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20th Century

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Popular people from history

Painting of Henry VIII

Henry VIII

Portrait of Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria

Winston Churchill gives his famous v-sign as he opens the new headquarters of 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron of the RAAF (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) at Croydon, 1948. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Winston Churchill

Golden funerary mask of Tutankhamun, inlaid with lapis lazuli, obsidian and turquoise. (Photo By DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images)

Tutankhamun

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Popular historic topics

Dockers unloading wine barrels

Social history

Photo of Mabel Capper and Patricia Woodlock advertising a meeting, Manchester, Lancashire, July 1908

Women's history

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Sex and love

The charge of the light, battle illustration

Military history

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