Æthelstan and the foundation of England

Danny Bird reveals everything you need to know about the Anglo-Saxon ruler regarded as the first true 'King of the English' – from his battlefield achievements to his political reforms -

Joseph Bologne: French musical maestro

Nige Tassell tells the story of the celebrated Caribbean-born violinist and composer whose spectacular rise to the top of 18th-century French society is the subject of an upcoming Hollywood biopic

The 1918 Sedition Act

The United States' entry into World War I triggered a wave of frenzied patriotism across the country. However, as Danny Bird reveals, this hysteria set the nation on a collision course with its most cherished principles

Deadly riots break out in London

The radical MP John Wilkes attracted loyal support for his outspoken criticism of the government. However, as Danny Bird explains, outrage at his 1768 arrest for libel paved the way for bloodshed and anarchy

GREAT BRITISH CASTLES

Looking for a castle to visit? You could do no better than to add these spectacular structures to your checklist

WHAT IF...RICHARD THE LIONHEART HAD RECAPTURED JERUSALEM?

Nige Tassell and Professor Rebecca Rist consider the consequences for history had the Third Crusade returned the Holy City to Christian control

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

Alice Neel's bold, unapologetic works bared the souls of men, women and children living on the fringes of society

GRAND DESIGNS

Part fortress, part luxury home, constructing the perfect castle required colossal amounts of money, men and patience

SEX, LIES AND LUCKY ESCAPES

From illicit affairs to assassination attempts, Felicity Day reveals the scandals that rocked the court of King George III and Queen Charlotte, whose relationship is the focus of a new Bridgerton spin-off series

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR

Jem Duducu shares facts about the era-defining conflict in which the US attempted to halt the spread of communism in southeast Asia

A AN Z OF CORONATIONS

On the eve of King Charles III’s coronation, Nige Tassell takes us on an alphabetical tour through the history of the royal ritual in all its glory

PROFESSOR BILL SILLAR ON THE LEGACY OF THE INCA EMPIRE

The empire harnessed an extraordinary diversity of cultures, languages and environments

CONQUEST AND CONVERSION

A bloody civil war, deadly new diseases and cunning Spanish tactics resulted in the end of the once-mighty Inca empire

THE EARLY PIONEER PEOPLES OF PERU

The Inca were certainly not the only civilisation to leave a lasting impression on the Andes

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE INCA EMPIRE

Professor Bill Sillar answers key questions about the rapid rise and fall of the South American civilisation

EVERYDAY LIFE IN AN EXTRAORDINARY EMPIRE

Professor Bill Sillar reveals how technology and textiles were among the many triumphs of the Inca

SEEING THINGS

_ A picture tells a thousand words, so they say. But it doesn’t always follow that those words speak the truth, as the stories _ behind these remarkable hoax photographs demonstrate

INTO THE JAWS OF HELL

In the final days of World War II, a US Navy crew endured unimaginable horrors when they were left stranded in the waters of the Pacific, facing hypothermia, madness and sharks. Jonny Wilkes tells the story of USS Indianapolis, and reveals how its sinking inspired a speech in a Spielberg masterpiece

Bessie Coleman: boundary-breaking pilot

Jonny Wilkes delves into the life of the fearless female aviator who refused to be held back by discrimination, and who did her utmost to ensure that other people of colour could follow in her footsteps

The Chinese Exclusion Act

In the late 19th century, rising anti-Chinese prejudice paved the way for one of the most controversial laws in US history. Danny Bird explains how the legislation was passed and why its legacy is still felt today

'Princess Caraboo' appears in Almondsbury

In 1817, a Gloucestershire village was dazzled by the arrival of a mysterious royal visitor. But, as Danny Bird reveals, not all was what it seemed in this strange tale of a woman who duped high society

WHAT IF...HANNIBAL HAD TAKEN ROME?

Professor Greg Woolf talks to Nige Tassell about what might have happened to Rome and the Romans had the Carthaginian military mastermind managed to conquer the city

PUNISHMENT FROM ON HIGH

An unshakeable certainty that the plague was God's punishment for sin led to desperate, and terrible, measures

GOING INTO LOCKDOWN

Helen Carr explores the measures used across the centuries to curb the spread of the deadliest disease in human history

GRIEF AND DESPERATION

The Black Death triggered untold panic across Europe, causing people to desert their loved ones and seek out scapegoats

THE SHADOW OF DEATH DESCENDS

Originating in eastern or central Asia, plague ravaged Europe - and people were helpless to stop it spreading

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BLACK DEATH

Professor John Hatcher answers keys questions about the global spread, symptoms and long-term impact of plague

Pauli Murray: civil rights lawyer

Trailblazing attorney Pauli Murray devoted her legal career to tackling racial and gender discrimination in the US. But what drove the civil rights icon and LGBTQ+ pioneer to take up the fight in the first place?

The French Wars of Religion

In the late 16th century, France was torn apart by a series of violent religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, with several noble families competing for mastery over the kingdom's salvation

Alexander Selkirk is finally rescued

Marooned on a remote desert island for more than four years, Scottish mariner Alexander Selkirk survived against all the odds, gaining fame, fortune and a lasting influence on popular culture