Feature

An illustration from The Travels of Marco Polo, showing a teenage Marco on the deck of a ship sailing away from Venice

Why are Marco Polo’s travels so famous?

On this day_Numbers_orange16

16 October

Josh Widdicombe at Hever Castle

History TV and radio in the UK: what’s on our screens in October 2021?

Eddie Singh, who journeyed to the UK in the 1960s. (Image courtesy of Yvonne Singh and family)

A West Indian immigrant in 1960s Britain: A real lonely Londoner

A 14th-century illustration shows two bishops watching men fight to the death in a trial by combat.

Medieval trial by combat: the real history behind The Last Duel

On this day_Numbers_orange15

15 October

A montage of Romans

How ethnically diverse was Roman Britain?

The title page and frontispiece of Olaudah Equiano’s Interesting Narrative

David Olusoga on the extraordinary story of Olaudah Equiano

On this day_Numbers_orange14

14 October

A medieval miniature depicts a monk and a woman in a bed.

Sex in the Middle Ages: have attitudes really changed?

Engraving of a Roman slave market

Slavery in ancient Rome: how important were enslaved people to Roman society?

On this day_Numbers_orange13

13 October

Portrait of First World War nurse Edith Cavell with one of her dogs

First World War

Edith Cavell: how the executed British First World War nurse became a symbol of peace

A portrait from the 18th century of King George III wearing his coronation robes

George III: why his reputation as the mad king who lost America needs to be re-evaluated

Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace: a visionary of computing