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Queenship in Medieval England: A Changing Dynamic?
Historian article
In the winter of 1235-6, Eleanor, the 12 year old daughter of Count Raymond-Berengar V of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy, left her native homeland. She travelled to England to marry King Henry III, a man 28 years her senior whom she had never met. The bride and her entourage...
Queenship in Medieval England: A Changing Dynamic?
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The Handing Back of Hong Kong: 1945 and 1997
Article
Andrew Whitfield examines the recovery of Hong Kong from the Japanese, 52 years before its return to China. As the clock ticks ever closer to midnight on 30 June 1997, the sun will set on Britain’s last major colonial outpost. Thousands of miles from the motherland, the colony originally acted...
The Handing Back of Hong Kong: 1945 and 1997
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The Irish historians' role and the place of history in Irish national life
Historian article
The debate on the nation and its history is new to England; and there is, perhaps, a tendency to assume that what is new in England is new everywhere. In Ireland, the debate has been going on since the 1970s, fuelled by what is called ‘revisionism’; or rather, by a...
The Irish historians' role and the place of history in Irish national life
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‘By his Majesties authoritie’: worship and religious policy in Caroline Britain and Ireland
Historian article
When Charles I acceded to the throne in 1625, he inherited a situation that appeared stable but which simmered beneath the surface. As Chris R. Langley explains, in seeking to maintain his Royal Supremacy, Charles I had to manage the very different, but interconnected, religious affairs of England, Ireland and...
‘By his Majesties authoritie’: worship and religious policy in Caroline Britain and Ireland
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Caroline Court Women, 1625–1669
Historian article
Aristocratic women at the court of Queen Henrietta Maria from 1625–69 were integral to court life and actively involved in royal service; in court family networks; in dispensing and seeking patronage; and, in political and religious politics. As Sara J. Wolfson shows, it is important to study women at the apex of power...
Caroline Court Women, 1625–1669
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Piecing together the life and times of Charles I
Historian article
In this article, Chris R. Langley discusses the sources we use to reconstruct the life and times of Charles I. He explains how historians can use a wide range of sources in creative ways to understand different aspects of political, cultural and religious change in the mid-seventeenth century...
Piecing together the life and times of Charles I
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Out and About in Lyme Regis
Historian feature
Explore Lyme Regis’ past as John Davis guides you on a historical trail through the iconic seaside town...
Out and About in Lyme Regis
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In conversation with Tom Hamilton
Historian feature
The Historian sat down with Tom Hamilton to discuss his recent work, A Widow’s Vengeance after the Wars of Religion, which uncovers the story of a revealing criminal trial during the French Wars of Religion...
In conversation with Tom Hamilton
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Archaeology on the edge
Historian article
Major archaeological projects can be complex affairs, in terms of their funding, governance and the wide range of historical and technological expertise they require. Here National Trust archaeologist Kathy Laws describes the intricacies and successes of a multi-organisational project at an Iron Age site in north Wales. The challenges of the...
Archaeology on the edge
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Sophisticated living in sub-Roman Britain
Historian article
It has been assumed for a long time that sub-Roman Britain, the period between the Romans leaving the island in the early fifth century and the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons in the sixth century, was a period of rapid cultural and economic decline. Recent archaeological discoveries at Chedworth Villa in...
Sophisticated living in sub-Roman Britain
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Connecting poetry, philosophy and landscapes in Ancient China
Historian article
It is unusual for historians to focus primarily on poetry to provide insights into the past societies they are studying. Here Nicholas Tyldesley explains the value of poetry to help us understand the ideas, values and some important historical events in Ancient China, with a particular focus on poets Li...
Connecting poetry, philosophy and landscapes in Ancient China
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Update: New approaches to the study of ancient history
Historian feature
This regular ‘update’ feature in The Historian looks at the latest developments in the study of various aspects of history. Here Steve Illingworth considers how scholars of ancient worlds have broadened their geographical approach in recent years, so that there is now greater diversity and less Euro-centricity in the subject matter being explored. The...
Update: New approaches to the study of ancient history
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The Exclusion Crisis (1679–81)
Historian article
The Exclusion Crisis in the reign of King Charles II was a fierce struggle over the issue of whether the King’s Catholic brother James should be the heir to the throne. At the same time, circumstances promoted an outpouring of polemical pamphlets on a massive scale. Here Gregory Gifford examines...
The Exclusion Crisis (1679–81)
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‘The Nazi Service’? The Prussian origins of the Luftwaffe
Historian article
The Luftwaffe had been a real achievement of Prussian military culture, but under poor Nazi leadership it degenerated into an ineffective fighting force, writes Stephen Graham.
‘The Nazi Service’? The Prussian origins of the Luftwaffe
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Real Lives: Colonel James Skinner
Historian feature
The story of the British in India is a complex one and further nuances are provided by the existence of several ‘Eurasians’ who had both British and Indian heritage. Here Arunansh Goswami reflects on the life and achievements of one of these, James Skinner, who had a Scottish father and an Indian...
Real Lives: Colonel James Skinner
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Out and About: The Parish Armoury in St Mary’s Church, Mendlesham
Historian feature
In the Tudor and early Stuart period most towns and villages had a legal obligation to store arms and armour in case of a national emergency. Here Shona Rutherford-Edge tells the story of the parish armoury in the Suffolk village of Mendlesham, which was kept in the local church and from which many...
Out and About: The Parish Armoury in St Mary’s Church, Mendlesham
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Doing history: The Old Poor Law in a Regency York Parish 1795–1847
Historian feature
In this regular feature called Doing History, history enthusiasts describe a piece of research they have undertaken and how it sheds light on aspects of local and national history. Here Steve Barrett shows how his exploration of archives in York provided interesting insights into the controversial issue of poor relief, with a focus...
Doing history: The Old Poor Law in a Regency York Parish 1795–1847
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In conversation with Mineke Schipper
Historian feature
Rosalind Crone from The Historian talks to Mineke Schipper about her new book, The Shrinking Goddess, a re-examination of the rise of patriarchy through myths, proverbs, stories, images and understandings of the female body.
In conversation with Mineke Schipper
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Opinion: The Sarajevo Assassination and the Perilous Limits of the 9/11 Analogy
Historian article
Historians love making analogies to the present day, and in 2014, during the 100th anniversary of the Sarajevo assassination and outbreak of the First World War, many were tempted to see parallels to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But not only is this analogy mistaken, it conceals the blundering true nature...
Opinion: The Sarajevo Assassination and the Perilous Limits of the 9/11 Analogy
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From our branches: The Bristol Branch
Historian feature
It is always fascinating to find out about some of the many varied activities being undertaken by local branches of the Historical Association. Here Mary Feerick and Rob Pritchard relate the successes of the Bristol branch, which was only restarted in 2017. The branch has managed to engage local people...
From our branches: The Bristol Branch
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Images of Ukraine through western lenses
Historian article
How has the understanding of what Ukraine is and, therefore, its image changed through the centuries? What did the word ‘Ukraine’ mean in the Middle Ages, the early modern times, or in the twentieth century? Even during the last four decades, this image has transformed dramatically, and the first association...
Images of Ukraine through western lenses
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Affirmative mysticism and John Woolman in colonial America
Historian article
Joshua M. Reinke introduces the American Quaker abolitionist, John Woolman. This seventeenth-century diarist’s encounter with Christ took him on a journey that led across the American colonies and provoked him to voice his fierce opposition to human bondage and the slave trade...
Affirmative mysticism and John Woolman in colonial America
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The year that lost eleven days
Historian article
From its Roman origins to the dating of the tax year, David Fleming describes how the changes made to the British calendar in 1752 came about and their effect on everyday life, both at the time and since...
The year that lost eleven days
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Out and About: Newcastle’s 1650 Witch Trial
Historian feature
A.D. Bergin’s research for a work of historical fiction led him to Newcastle, where one of the largest witch trials in English history took place in 1650. Despite the scale of the proceedings, the event remains much less well known than the infamous Pendle trials or Matthew Hopkins’ East Anglian witch hunts.
Out and About: Newcastle’s 1650 Witch Trial
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My Favourite History Place: The Great House of Mercers Creek
Historian feature
The tropical island of Antigua is a tourist heaven, but Gabriella Howell’s research into her family property, the Great House of Mercers Creek, shows how over the centuries, a varied history has shaped the experience of visitors and residents alike. From the enslaved and missionaries to admirals and film stars,...
My Favourite History Place: The Great House of Mercers Creek
