All About History

At the 36th Academy Awards, Poitier became the first African American male to win the Best Actor award, for his role as construction worker Homer Smith in the 1963 film Lilies Of The Field. He had previously been nominated for the same award in 1959,

The history of the Crusades is dominated by analysis from the Christian side of the story, but thankfully we’re seeing the Muslim side of this conflict articulated more and more. That’s not to say that discussions from either perspective are without

Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, was constructed by King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty. It’s located within the complex of the Grand Palace, the official residence of the kings of Thailand (previously Siam) s

The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription is the earliest known example of Thai script and the forerunner of the modern Thai alphabet. Inscribed on a black stone stele, it describes the 13th-century kingdom of Sukhothai during the reign of King Ram Khamhaeng. It

Known as King Narai ‘The Great’, alongside his diplomatic achievements he is best remembered for producing the first ‘Golden Age’ of Thai literature. His reign (1656-88) saw the creation of new verse forms and he had many well-known poets among his c

Aside from modernising what was then known as Siam, King Rama V was keen to showcase the historical artefacts that had been collected by his father, King Mongkut. To do so he turned the residence of the vice king – the Front Palace, completed in 1785

Ask anyone in the eastern Mediterranean to name their greatest hero and the answer will almost certainly be Saladin. All across Europe and America, if you ask for one Arabic hero, the answer will probably be the same. His achievements alone explain w

While it might go too far to describe Nūr al-Dīn as a mentor for Saladin, his influence on the future sultan is clear. At a time when a divided Muslim world was unable to coordinate a resistance to the European invaders in Syria and Palestine, Nūr al

Without a doubt, Queen Christina’s most famous same-sex relationship was her rumoured affair with Countess Ebba Sparre. Sparre was frequently described as a traditional, feminine beauty, a direct contrast to Christina, whose masculine appearance and

An unconventional queen with a fiery temper, Christina of Sweden is undoubtedly one of history’s most enigmatic figures. The last member of the Vasa dynasty to rule Sweden, she was born in the Tre Kronor castle in 1626, the only surviving child of Ki

Known as the ‘father of the Soviet bomb’, Kurchatov is best remembered as the director of the USSR’s atomic bomb project. In 1943 he was appointed head of the Soviet nuclear weapons programme and, following Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Stalin ordered a So

With such vast amounts of the world covered by seas and rivers, it’s hardly surprising that many, many stories have grown up around them over the millennia. Countless numbers of peoples have depended on the sea for their lives and livelihoods through

Thousands of men and women were gathered on the streets of London on 4 October 1936. They were textile workers, dockers, community leaders, socialists, communists, local Jewish residents and everything between. In front of them were the Metropolitan

He may be one of the most written-about people in British history, but do you know Winston Churchill as well as you think you do? That’s the challenge being laid down by The Churchill Quiz Book. Written by Kieran Whitworth, book buyer at the Imperial

Have you ever wondered whether the Romans wore pants? If there were pets in the ancient world? If people believed in ghosts or aliens? From Cleopatra to the Colosseum, from Augustus Caesar to Alexandria, many ancient histories tend to focus on people

Stretching some 3,734km north to south, both sides of the American Civil War recognised the Mississippi River’s strategic importance. The war for the Mississippi would be one of not just riverine naval forces but also of fortifications and gun batter

The first rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral of the US Navy, Farrugat was fostered by naval officer David Porter after his mother’s death and served aged only 12 in the war of 1812. He would go on to serve in the Mexican-American War and Civil Wa

Book Film TV Podcast Games Other An eye-opening film exposing US government paranoia and institutional racism Certificate: 12 Director: Sam Pollard Cast: David Garrow, Clarence B Jones, Donna Murch Released: Out now Watching Sam Pollard’s documentary

Founded on 12 January 1895, the National Trust has spent the past 125 years forging a reputation for the restoration and care of historic buildings and places. Now it’s not only one of the UK’s most prestigious historical organisations, but also one

Director: Victor Fleming Starring: Ingrid Bergman, José Ferrer, George Coulouris Country: USA Released: 1948 An historical epic from Hollywood’s golden age that’s surprisingly accurate VERDICT: A traditional Hollywood movie with great respect for its

In Sweden there is an official princess cake week, which is celebrated annually in September For the sponge cake ● 200g caster sugar● 70g cornflour● 70g plain flour● 1 tsp baking powder● 4 eggs For the vanilla custard ● 240ml heavy cream● 3 tbsp corn

“If you want a particular result you obtain it... I need only people who will obtain what I require” – Trofim Lysenko Anyone reading the above quote, with no prior knowledge of the speaker, and assuming them to be some malevolent dictator, would be f

What is the Renaissance? Literally, Renaissance means ‘Rebirth’, but it is the revival of the styles of Roman and Greek (Classical) architecture and sculpture, and of interest in their mythological culture of gods and goddesses and stories of people