Explainer

The life and death of Marie Antoinette: everything you need to know about the last queen of France

A carving of the Sator Square, 2nd-4th century

General ancient history

Q&AWhat is the Sator Square, and how old is it?

A portrait of Vlad the Impaler, aka Vlad II, whose bloodlust and cruelty was said to have inspired the most famous vampire of literature

The real Dracula? The bloodthirsty life of Vlad the Impaler

Scene of knights in battle, detail from Bayeux tapestry or tapestry of Queen Matilda, France, 11th century

The NormansWho were they & why did they invade England?

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in season 5 of The Crown.

The Crown S5 E7 real history: the introduction of Martin Bashir, and a royal education

Tsar Nicolas II and George V of Great Britain

The Crown S5 E6 real history: the Romanovs’ murder, and Philip’s “spiritual companionship”

Theban mural showing people plucking geese. (Photo by DEA / G Dagli Orti/De Agostini/Getty Images)

Life in Ancient Egypt: what was it like?

Tutankhamun’s golden funeral mask

Your guide to Tutankhamun, plus 8 fascinating facts

War and Conflict, Malaya, pic: 1953, British troops of the Special Air Service (SAS) with a helicopter, having been dropped off in the jungle in search of bandits (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

In a nutshellThe history of the SAS

Industrial revolution

Q&AWhy do we say ‘get the sack’?

Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, c1860, (left) and actor Devrim Lingnau as Elisabeth in Netflix drama The Empress.

Sisi: the tragic life of the lost and lonely Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Scene of the 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' at the Disney World in Orlando, Florida, 1971

Why we should remember...The day Walt Disney World Resort in Florida welcomed its first guests

The Serpent Queen stars Samantha Morton as Catherine de' Medici

The Serpent QueenThe STARZ drama offers a caricature of the real Catherine de' Medici

Why we should remember…the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent

Writer JRR Tolkien smokes a pipe

JRR TolkienThe making of Middle Earth

House of the DragonThe real historical event behind the Game of Thrones prequel

Portraits of William III and Mary II, the only joint sovereigns in British history

Your guide to William and Mary, the only joint sovereigns in British history

Holbein's portrait of Edward VI

Edward VIWhy the forgotten Tudor king had the makings of a monster

The Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum

The Elgin Marbles: what are they and where are they located?

An emu stares into the camera

Q&AWhat was the Emu War?

A portrait of King Henry VIII

Henry VIIIThe life and rule of the Tudor king, plus 5 surprising facts

Portrait of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, showing his pronounced Habsburg jaw

Q&AWhat was the Habsburg jaw?

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as Mr Malcolm and Freida Pinto as Selina Dalton in Mr Malcolm's List

What was on Mr. Malcolm’s List? The real history behind the Regency romance

A man walking past a pile of uncollected rubbish during the Winter of Discontent, 22 September 1978

Q&AWhat was the Winter of Discontent?

Closeup of Henry VIII's face

The slow death of Henry VIII

Princess Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour (Photos by Getty and Alamy)

Did Thomas Seymour sexually abuse the teenage Princess Elizabeth?

What is the history behind May Day and why do we celebrate it?

The upstairs/downstairs world of Downton Abbey: how true to life is it?

An illustration of a Soviet warship inside a Pepsi bottle

Q&AIs it true that Pepsi briefly owned Soviet warships?

A portrait of Elizabeth of York

Elizabeth of York: a Tudor of rare talent