Alternate history

Explore the what ifs and what might have beens of alternate history

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William of Orange depicted landing in Devon

What if… James II and VII had kept his throne? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The battle of Blenheim

What if… Charles II of Spain had produced an heir? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Charles VI and Henry V entering Paris

What if… Henry V hadn't died in 1422?

A modern painting of the battle of Long Island

What if… the Continental Army had not escaped after the battle of Long Island?

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Men of the 23rd US Infantry in France, 1918. The Western Front w ould not have even come into existence had the Schlieffen Plan been executed successfully. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

What if… The Schlieffen plan had been successful? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, seen in 1975, would have been the leading candidate to be the first person to step on the Moon had the Soviets landed before the US (Photo by Space Frontiers/Getty Images)

What if... The Soviets had landed on the Moon first and won the Space Race? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Mathematician and Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing played a key role in deciphering the Enigma code (Photo by Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo)

What if... The Enigma code had not been cracked by Alan Turing and Bletchley Park? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Cromwell depicted with Major-General John Lambert

What if... Oliver Cromwell’s son had never been named Lord Protector? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Illustration of King Richard I, on horseback, in the Holy Land, by Henry Justice Ford (Photo by The History Emporium / Alamy Stock Photo)

What if... Richard the Lionheart had recaptured Jerusalem? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A painting of Hannibal leading his men into Italy in 218 BC, seated on top a war elephant (Photo by Peter Horree / Alamy Stock Photo)

What if... Hannibal had taken Rome? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A portrait of a young Queen Victoria from around the time of the first assassination attempt in 1840

What if… Queen Victoria had been assassinated? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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CWAXKJ The Battle of Lepanto, the fleet of the Holy League destroys the Turkish fleet near Greece, October 7, 1571

What if... The Ottomans had won at Lepanto in 1571? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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King George III (r1760–1820), seen here in his coronation robes, was mentally unfit to rule during the final decade of his life. (Image by Getty Images)

What if… George III hadn't 'lost' the colonies? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The USS West Virginia burns at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941

What if… Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbor . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A manuscript illumination dated c1100 depicting Viking warriors sailing towards Brittany

What if... The Vikings had never left their homelands? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.