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Culture

A colourful medieval manuscript illustration of William I seated beneath a decorated arch, wearing a crown and holding a model of a building.

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Bollocks, bastards and broad arses: the filthy medieval names that expose the real story of 1066

Composite showing an illustrated ancient funeral procession approaching an open grave, a blue map of Scotland and a close-up of bone with arrows highlighting surface markings.

Iron Age

This Iron Age woman had her brain scooped out. Why?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Two traditional thatched-roof huts made of mud and wood standing in a grassy field, decorated with striking red, white, and yellow painted geometric patterns under a blue sky.

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Are these the world’s oldest cities? Inside the megasites that Soviet authorities didn’t want you to see. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Europe map

20th Century

What is ‘Europe’, anyway?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A smiling person in the foreground, with two older black‑and‑white portraits behind them and bright festival colours in the background.

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She was hunted by the FBI and transformed British culture – so why haven't you heard of this black activist?. 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 stylised illustration of a rally or public gathering. In the foreground, dark silhouettes of people hold up smartphones, their screens glowing as they record a central speaker on a stage. The speaker stands with a microphone, flanked by two figures in dark clothing and sunglasses. Behind them, a large blank flag is raised, and a dramatic red backdrop shows an enlarged shadow of the speaker, creating a sense of spectacle and media attention.

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Are there still fascists in the 21st century? Six experts weigh up the evidence. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A black‑and‑white photograph of soldiers in helmets and heavy uniforms gathered along a shallow roadside trench in a wooded area. Some stand on the dirt road, others crouch or sit in the dugout, handling supplies or equipment. Dense foliage lines one side of the scene, and the unpaved road curves away into the distance. The image conveys the everyday logistics and waiting periods of troops during a 20th‑century wartime campaign.

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Does history really repeat itself? Why we should be careful in drawing parallels with the past. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A colourised nineteenth-century engraving of William Shakespeare shows the playwright seated with one hand resting on a human skull and the other beside a flowering plant and a large book. A coat of arms appears in the upper left corner.

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Was Shakespeare a secret political radical? One play's hidden symbols reveal the truth. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A delicate eighteenth-century pencil drawing shows Anne Hathaway in a simple cap and ruffled collar, facing slightly to the left against a plain background.

Tudor

Who was the real Agnes Shakespeare? The true story behind Hamnet's leading lady

A nineteenth-century painting depicts William Shakespeare standing indoors, holding an open book aloft as if reading aloud. One hand rests on a table beside him, while a carved chair and draped curtain frame the scene.

Tudor

Is Hamnet based on a true story? The real history behind the Shakespeare drama

A coloured medieval-style engraving depicts the Venerable Bede, an elderly monk in a red robe and cap, seated while reading from an open book.

Period

After the Romans left, the Angles, Saxons and Jutes arrived. What was the difference?

Medieval manuscript illumination showing a bride and groom joined together by a clergyman during a marriage ceremony, surrounded by richly dressed figures and decorative borders.

Tudor

Why were the Tudors obsessed with kissing each other, and what made them stop?

A stylised, coloured illustration showing a large group of people gathered outdoors under a cloudy sky. In the foreground, tightly packed figures in period-style clothing stand shoulder to shoulder; most look downward or toward one another with subdued or thoughtful expressions. Above them, four older men stand elevated on a ridge. Each wears distinctive clothing and gestures upward toward the sky. One man holds a red heart in one hand and a yellow feather in the other. Overhead, several bright yellow birds fly among the clouds. The contrast between the quiet, inward-looking crowd below and the animated, sky‑focused figures above creates a sense of differing perspectives or states of mind.

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Are we now witnessing the end of the American empire?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A decorative hand fan painted with 18th‑century figures stands in front of a busy masquerade‑ball scene. The fan shows couples dancing in ornate period dress, framed by architectural details and a central mask-like face. Behind it, a crowded ballroom illustration features elaborately costumed guests wearing masks.

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Even wilder than Bridgerton: inside the scandalous world of Georgian masked balls. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Renaissance portrait of Sir Thomas More seated in dark robes trimmed with fur, wearing a gold chain of office and black cap against a green draped background.

Tudor

He was the Tudor who created Utopia – but his insults were shockingly filthy

A stylised disco ball made of colourful square panels, each showing a portrait of a different musician. Radiating beams in bold patterns surround the ball.

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These 27 songs changed the world – how many have you listened to?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Medieval Andalusian manuscript illustration showing a seated oud player entertaining a noblewoman and attendants beneath stylised trees and architectural columns.

Medieval

Meet the forgotten medieval muslims who transformed European culture

A medieval manuscript illustration showing a lively musical performance. Three standing musicians play long wind instruments and drums while three seated women clap and dance before a richly patterned red-and-gold backdrop.

General History

How history changed music: 8 moments that shaped the soundtrack of our world

A stylised illustration shows a person on the left blowing out swirling musical lines and a golden treble clef toward three figures standing on clouds. The central figure wears a brown robe with a purple stole and a cross necklace, with rays of light above their head. To the right, one figure in purple and grey holds a tambourine, and another in blue plays a horn. The scene blends musical imagery with spiritual symbolism.

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"We all sing, hum and whistle": how music keeps us in tune with history. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A bronze Greek warrior statue and a costumed hoplite stand against a sunset sky with tall grass and stylised golden olive branches.

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Nude inspections, thigh flashers and fights to the death: 15 things you need to know about the Spartans. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A pale stone figurine head with simplified facial features and carved parallel lines suggesting hair, shown against a dark blue background.

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A history of the world in 7 faces: from Tutankhamun to the Virgin Mary. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A gold funerary mask shaped into a human face, with almond‑shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and a closed mouth. The surface is worn and cracked, with some sections missing.

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Blood and plunder: the looted African gold – and the fight to get it back. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collage of six images shows Queen Elizabeth II in military uniform, in later life wearing a light outfit and hat, in coronation regalia beside Prince Philip, speaking at a BBC microphone, on her wedding day, and as a young woman hugging a dog.

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Long to reign over us: how did Queen Elizabeth II survive seven decades of dizzying change?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A tailor in a black vest and white shirt holds two large horns as he attaches them to a Viking’s helmet. The Viking wears a grey helmet, blue tunic, feathered cloak, and has a long orange beard, all set against a bright green background

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What are history's biggest misconceptions? 9 experts reveal what we get wrong about the past. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A detailed engraving shows William Shakespeare with wavy shoulder‑length hair, a mustache and trimmed beard, and an earring in his left ear. He wears a collared shirt and a textured doublet with decorative trim, set against a softly shaded background.

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"Let the sky rain potatoes!": the hidden meanings behind Shakespeare's food obsession. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Halle Berry holds up her Oscar statuette while posing in a sheer embroidered evening gown beside a large gold Oscar statue at a press backdrop.

20th Century

16 remarkable moments in the history of the Oscars

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"We shall never surrender": 14 quotes that have defined the past century. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A pair of glasses with light brown and yellow frames and pink lenses. Below them is a reflected shadow of the same pair of glasses, against a beige background

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From Stranger Things to communist cars: why we can't resist nostalgia. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Statue of Queen Victoria with a humorous added cartoon smile and speech bubble reading “We are amused.”

Victorian

Think the Victorians were prudes? Their filthiest jokes will shock you

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