Historical people

Graphic photomontage layering a classical marble statue of two leaning lovers over red-figure ancient Greek vase paintings depicting figures and winged Eros

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From magic spells to dirty graffiti: 16 surprising facts about sex in the classical world. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Vintage black-and-white studio portrait of a seated aristocrat wearing an ornate theatrical costume with a winged headdress

Edwardian

Is Madfabulous based on a true story? The real history of ‘Dancing Marquess’ Henry Cyril Paget

Collage of 19th-century crime illustrations tinted pink, showing figures fighting, a man firing a pistol, and a woman lying on the floor.

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"She was mad with the acrid lust of blood": 6 murders that shocked Victorian Britain. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Winston Churchill in military dress during a visit to Allied forces during the Second World War.

General History

What made Churchill such a great leader? We asked one of Britain's leading CEOs

Illustration of a Renaissance minstrel playing a lute as a swirling speech banner filled with question marks flows out

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These are history's greatest unsung heroes. How many have you heard of?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A composite image shows German SS officer Gottlob Berger on the left and British officer George Lascelles on the right. Colditz Castle, where Lascelles was held as a prisoner of war during the Second World War, looms in the background.

Second World War

Hitler ordered my father’s death – but an SS general spared his life

A photo collage featuring historical figures and athletes arranged around a red and white 1-2-3 winner's podium set against a yellow background.

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Are these history's greatest losers? 19 people who had glory snatched away from them. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A composite image of a young Tudor woman in a pearl-trimmed headdress and red brocade gown with pearl and gold jewelry, layered over a smaller figure in a striped cap and a red-tinted background sketch of a crowded court scene

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Fooling around in front of royalty: the extraordinary escapades of Europe's female jesters. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The ancient Mesopotamians were freakishly ahead of their time – and here are 8 reasons why. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collage of famous footballers from different eras shown in colour against a black‑and‑white stadium. Players appear in dynamic poses: one mid‑bicycle kick, one lifting the World Cup, another holding the Champions League trophy, and others in action wearing kits from Argentina, the Netherlands, England, and the United States.

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These are the 27 most important soccer players in history. You probably won't agree with our choices. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Two circular portraits overlap against a bright blue background. The left shows a sepia‑toned image of a person in older clothing seated before an ornate backdrop. The right shows a modern colour portrait of a smiling person with curly hair, a light blue bow, and a decorative outfit.

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I was so inspired by Harriet Jacobs that I wrote a song about her: Corinne Bailey Rae on her history hero. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A black‑and‑white collage places a woman in ornate formal clothing and a fur stole at the front. Behind her are images of snow‑covered mountain peaks, roped climbers, and a smaller figure holding a newspaper with the headline “Votes for Women.”

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"She saw off bandits with her revolver": the unbelievable adventures of Fanny Bullock Workman. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A stylised illustration of two figures in historical clothing set against a patterned purple background. One sits on a wooden chair, wearing a long robe and tall hat, holding a flask in one hand and pointing with the other. The other stands with hands on hips, dressed in an ornate gown with a crown‑like headpiece.

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Sex and the Stuarts: inside 17th-century London's most notorious brothel. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Two circular portraits overlap against a bright yellow background. The left circle shows a black‑and‑white photo of an older man in a suit and tie, smiling as someone beside him puts an arm around his shoulder. The right circle shows a colour photo of another older man outdoors, also smiling, wearing a collared shirt and jacket. The circles intersect slightly, visually linking the two men.

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"We will not go down this road": the tragic Serbian politician who tried to stop Milošević. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A person with long curly hair sits indoors by a rain‑speckled window, wearing a bright pink embroidered jacket, layered magenta top, and chunky metallic-and-beaded jewellery.

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"Cleopatra was sexualised and romanticised": here's why we've been getting royal women wrong. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A dimly lit pub interior where four people sit around a worn wooden table. Several pint glasses filled with dark beer, a couple of shot glasses, an ashtray, and a packet of cigarettes are scattered across the tabletop. The group appears relaxed and deep in conversation; one person leans forward with their hands clasped, another rests an arm on the table, while the others sit back slightly. Behind them, framed pictures hang on the wall and a stained‑glass lamp casts warm, amber light over the scene, giving the space a cosy, intimate atmosphere.

20th Century

Is The Westies a true story? Here's the real history behind the Ronald Reagan-era gangster drama

Credit: Getty Images/Alamy/Dreamstime

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Why did Henry VIII boil his cook alive? 17 grisly tales from Tudor England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A split image shows two portraits side by side. On the left is a colour photograph of a person wearing an eighteenth‑century British military uniform: a red coat with gold trim, brass buttons, and a white cravat, set against a softly lit indoor background. On the right is a black‑and‑white historical illustration of a person in similar period clothing, including a tricorne hat and a military‑style coat. The pairing contrasts a modern photographic depiction with an older engraved representation of figures from the same era.

Period

Is Young Washington a true story? Here's the real history behind the Founding Father

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Is the US celebrating independence on the ‘WRONG’ day?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Two circular portraits overlap against a blue background. The left shows an older sepia‑toned photograph of a person with curly hair in a high‑collared dark garment. The right shows a modern colour photograph of a light‑haired person wearing a dark jacket and a necklace. The circles intersect to create a small blended area between them.

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"If she had been a man there would be a statue of her": the amazing life of an unsung Victorian scientist. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A detailed historical painting of a busy harbour. In the foreground, figures in richly coloured period clothing gather in conversation, including an older couple speaking with a young woman in a yellow‑and‑pink gown. Nearby, a boy and a woman look on, while another man bends over a chest. Behind them, ships with tall masts line the waterfront and people move about among stone towers and steep‑roofed buildings.

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Strangers and aliens in Tudor England: what was it like to be an outsider in Henry VIII's realm?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The woman who invented Marilyn Monroe. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A group of medieval knights on horseback rides together, all wearing chainmail and carrying shields. At the centre is a crowned king holding a raised sword, identified in the manuscript text as King Offa of Mercia. One rider blows a horn, while two others lift their arms toward the sky. Beneath the horses lies the crowned head of a fallen king, labelled as the slain King Cynewulf.

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Saint killer, warmonger, tyrant: was the Anglo-Saxon king Offa as bad as history makes out?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A digitally composed collage shows three men against a dense background of green roses, with a heart‑shaped cluster of pink roses in the centre. In the middle stands a blue‑tinted figure dressed in early 19th‑century clothing: a brown coat, white trousers, and boots, holding a hat at his side. On the left is a mid‑20th‑century man with light hair, wearing a beige shirt and holding a cigarette in his mouth. On the right is a stylised portrait of a man with curly hair, wearing a white shirt and brown jacket, resting his chin on his hand. The three figures come from different eras and artistic styles, arranged closely together against the floral backdrop.

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Love affairs, screaming fans and tragic deaths: inside the lives of history’s biggest heartthrobs. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A black‑and‑white photograph of early LGBTQ+ activists standing on a city street in front of a large banner reading “GAY PRIDE” with a white triangle symbol beneath it. Several people face the camera, some holding newspapers or pamphlets. One person holds a sign that says “MARY WHITEHOUSE? HANDS OFF GAY NEWS BUY ONE TODAY.” Tall buildings line the street behind them.

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This sex poem sparked outrage in 1970s Britain – but who triumphed in the courtroom?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Henry Paget: life of the week. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A group of robed philosophers sit and stand on marble steps in a classical architectural setting. Above the central seated figure, a bright purple light bulb with radiating lines has been digitally added to suggest a moment of inspiration.

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Curse of the copycats: inside history's biggest plagiarism scandals. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A surreal illustration of robed figures collapsing in a dark alley lit by a glowing tower, with several bodies lying behind them and a rat in the foreground.

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Think the Black Death was bad in Europe? Incredibly, in these countries it was even worse. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A teal background with two overlapping circular frames, each containing a portrait. The left circle shows a sepia-toned historical photograph of a man with a moustache wearing a suit and tie. The right circle shows a contemporary colour portrait of a bald man in a patterned shirt and dark jacket. The overlap visually links the two figures across eras.

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"He clearly had a lot of bottle": Irvine Welsh chooses his history hero. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A tinted historical photograph shows a crowd of uniformed men gathered outdoors, with one man holding a large flag bearing a swastika symbol

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Weimar's descent from democracy to barbarism. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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