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A detail of a depiction of a lavish pageant staged in Paris in 1514 celebrated the royal entry of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, on her marriage to King Louis XII of France.

Tudor England had no standing army, but this humble hobby kept its people ready for war

This portrait shows Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Baroness Holland (1771–1845), a prominent figure in early 19th-century British political and social circles. As the wife of Whig politician Henry Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland, she was known for her intelligence, influence — and for the controversy surrounding her affairs.

She held wealth, power and prestige: so why did this Georgian aristocrat fake her daughter’s death?

This replica painting from the Cave of Altamira in northern Spain recreates some of the remarkable Upper Palaeolithic images created by early humans between 35,000 and 14,000 years ago. Celebrated for their vivid depictions of animals and handprints, Altamira’s cave paintings are among the earliest known examples of human artistic expression.

General prehistory

Think men were always the hunters? Stone Age women took down mammoths too – and that's not all

This 1st-century BC mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii depicts a tragic dramatic mask, a powerful symbol of Roman theatrical culture. Masks like this were central to performances, allowing actors to embody gods, heroes, and emotions on stage.

Ancient Roman theatre was a powerful weapon of empire, so why were actors' lives so tragic?

A painting shows a topless woman sitting up in bed, holding her hand against the face of the man leaning over her

What did the Tudors think was ‘good’ sex? These tips and tricks were key to relationships in the 16th century

Members of the Vanderbilt family return to Miami Beach aboard the yacht Alva, c.1930. Descended from one of America’s wealthiest dynasties, the Vanderbilts continued to symbolise privilege and opulence into the 20th century — long after the height of their Gilded Age power.

Could you survive in the vicious Gilded Age? Here are the original influencer's secrets to success

Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919), the Scottish-American industrialist who built a steel empire in the late 19th century, speaks with colleagues in this photograph. Renowned for both his business success and later philanthropy, Carnegie championed education, libraries, and scientific advancement as part of his belief in the philanthropy. (Photo by Getty Images)

History’s smallest billionaire? Meet the tiny titan who was, briefly, the richest man alive

This bust represents Hannibal, the famed general who led Carthaginian forces against Rome during the Second Punic War. As a descendant of Phoenician settlers, Hannibal embodied the military might and maritime legacy of Carthage.

General ancient history

The overshadowed ancient empire that rivalled Rome with maritime might and an iron fist

This illustration depicts Viking ships arriving in Britain. Though produced centuries after the earliest raids, it reflects how the impact of Norse invasions remained vivid in medieval memory and manuscript culture.

Forget the longships: this is the overlooked story of how the Vikings dominated eastern Europe

This 16th-century portrait depicts Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler (1431–1476), a Wallachian prince infamous for his brutal rule and defence against the Ottoman Empire.

Vlad the Impaler was medieval Europe's bloodiest warlord, but is the scale of his murder just a myth?

On 27 January 1943, ARP wardens attend the funeral of victims killed in a daylight bombing raid — including several children and teachers. Such scenes were tragically common during the Second World War, as civilian areas remained vulnerable to Luftwaffe attacks despite improved air defences.

Second World War

Why were these British Second World War burials draped with Nazi flags?

This 1896 portrait shows Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American steel magnate whose fortune helped build libraries, universities, and cultural institutions across the English-speaking world.

Skip the office and give your money away: a Victorian billionaire’s guide to financial triumph

On 31 August 1939, children from Chelsea line up with their belongings, ready to be evacuated from London as war looms. Part of a nationwide effort to move civilians — especially children — to safety, the evacuation began just days before Britain entered the Second World War.

Second World War

The biggest misconceptions about WW2 evacuees? This historian has the answers

A painting depicting Rurik and his brothers arriving in Staraya Ladoga, a scene based on the legend of the Varangian invitation, in which Norse leaders were asked to bring order to the Slavic lands. Rurik’s arrival marked the legendary founding of the first ruling dynasty of Rus’, a key moment in the early history of Eastern Europe.

Why does Putin think Ukraine should be Russian? It’s all to do with the Vikings

This print depicts men gathered in a Tudor alehouse, a lively hub of social life where people met to drink, gossip and discuss events. Alehouses were central to everyday life in 16th-century England.

For ordinary Tudors, death lurked around every corner with these surprising ways to die

In this c.1891 stereoscopic image by Underwood & Underwood, a cowboy in woolly chaps demonstrates lasso techniques beside a covered wagon, as others look on. Scenes like this reflect the working life and performative culture of the late 19th-century American West.

These three unsuspecting inventions won the American Wild West – but did they destroy it too?

This 19th-century illustration, based on ancient Greek vase imagery, depicts two mounted Amazons chasing after two fleeing youths. Scenes like this reflect classical fascination with the myth of warrior women.

Were the Amazons just a “male fantasy”? Here’s the truth behind the ancient world’s warrior women

English author Agatha Christie, pictured at a dinner in 1957. By this time, she was one of the world’s best-selling writers, renowned for her detective fiction featuring characters such as Hercule Poirot.

A real Thursday Murder Club? How a team of crime fiction writers tried to save the genre (and solve crimes)

This bas-relief fragment from the Ptolemaic period portrays Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of ancient Egypt. As both a Greek-speaking monarch and a pharaoh, Cleopatra embodied the cultural fusion of Hellenistic Egypt

General ancient history

On the steps of a sacred temple, Cleopatra's feud with her sister came to a blood-soaked end

This 19th-century facsimile shows the Duke of Salisbury, John Montacute, arriving at Conwy Castle from Ireland — a scene from Le Prinse et mort du Roy Richart. Just a year later, in 1400, Owain Glyndŵr would launch his rebellion, with castles like Conwy becoming key flashpoints in the Welsh fight against English rule.

It’s one of the most famous revolts in medieval history – but has the Glyndŵr rebellion been misnamed?

Illustration of Emma of Normandy and two of her children

King and Conqueror’s most gruesome death should never have happened and would be “totally out of character”

This 13th-century illustration from the Chronique d’Outremer shows the departure of the Templars. While rooted in the eastern Crusades, such imagery also echoed in the Northern Crusades, where the Teutonic Knights led campaigns to Christianise the pagan Baltic. expanding the crusading ideal far beyond Jerusalem.

The clever medieval trick that destroyed the last stand of stubborn paganism in Europe

James Monroe served as the fifth president of the United States (1817–1825). His name is most famously linked to the Monroe Doctrine, asserting US opposition to European interference in the Americas, a cornerstone of 19th-century foreign policy.

Is this the secret to understanding US foreign policy? How a powerful doctrine from 1823 reshaped America

This 1877 painting by Oscar Wergeland depicts Norwegian settlers arriving in Iceland in 872. Fleeing the unification of Norway under Harald Fairhair, these early migrants laid the foundations of a unique Norse society on the island’s volcanic shores.

Could you survive on the Vikings’ furthest frontier? Here’s the dark reality of Norse life on the edge

A drawing of a king holding a crown on his head, against a black and white image of a church

Far away from England, the mystery of Harold Godwinson's lost crown might have just been solved

This illustrated map traces the route of Venetian merchant Marco Polo along the Silk Road to China in the 13th century. His travels opened up new vistas of Asia to Europe and became one of the most influential accounts of the medieval world.

Step onto the medieval Silk Road and you'll witness its intense wonders – and its hidden horror

On 10 March 1945, Tokyo residents who lost their homes in the devastating US air raid gather amid the ruins. Known as Operation Meetinghouse, the raid was the most destructive bombing in history, part of a wider firebombing campaign during the Pacific War. (Photo by Getty Images)

Second World War

Before the atomic bombs, the USA hit Japan with one of the most overlooked (but deadly) campaigns in WW2

This stone relief from the palace of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh (668–627 BC) shows the Assyrian king leading a lion hunt — a dramatic display of dominance that reinforced royal authority in the Late Assyrian Empire.

General ancient history

Would you kidnap a god? This ancient Mesopotamian empire did – and for a genius reason

A woman stands next to a plough, with a house in the distance behind her. A man is standing next to the house

“The motors of the wagon train”: meet the forgotten women who upended gender norms to win the Wild West

Statue of Mesopotamian king Ashurbanipal

General ancient history

He tried to conquer knowledge itself – instead this ancient Mesopotamian king resorted to rule with terror