All About History

The Templars really are a fascinating group to examine. Looking at them in the context of their own time, they represent the religious zeal of the era and the belief that it was righteous and justified to violently oppose anyone who did not share the

On the 16th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, Adolf Hitler narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after delivering a speech in Munich. Georg Elser had planted a bomb behind the speaker’s platform, which went off 12 minutes after Hitler had left

The prehistoric stone circle in Wiltshire, UK, along with many other monuments, is built along the axis of the sun on the summer and winter solstice, allowing important moments of the year to be identified. A candle is burned with markings (or next t

Although many people refer to Elizabeth Tower as Big Ben, this moniker refers to the clock tower’s great bell, which was probably named after Sir Benjamin Hall. The original bell, which weighed 16 tonnes and was cast in 1856, cracked when it was test

Clockmaking was once thought to be a male-dominated profession, but women played an important and underappreciated role in the industry. They were often responsible for metal engraving and dial painting, and there is evidence that women made clocks p

The history of portable timepieces dates back to 16th century Europe. The first step towards reducing the size of clocks was the development of the mainspring mechanism, which was invented by famous clockmaker Peter Henlein around the year 1510. Not

Betty Linderoth was trained by her father, a watchmaker, after demonstrating an aptitude for watchmaking at a young age. Despite the male apprentices’ disparaging remarks, she continued her apprenticeship and went on to become an award-winning watchm

Mounted on its tower in 1410, Prague’s Astronomical Clock is a sight to behold. Created by imperial clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň, its uniqueness is a reflection of Prague’s multicultural community at that time. As a result, it never stopped evolving.

Originally founded by eight or nine comrades in either 1118 or 1119, and existing for over two centuries, the Knights Templar formed after the First Crusade of 1096-99 and became the most powerful and secretive military religious Order in history. In

Were the Hospitallers in competition with the Templars? They do end up competing a bit, because they’re both religious institutions and supposedly both working to look after the poor, as a charity, and defending pilgrims and the Crusader states. They

If you stroll through the halls of the Museo Pio Clementino in Vatican City, you’ll be surrounded by men. The marble busts boast strong Roman noses, and the full-length statues show the grandeur of Ancient Rome’s elite ruling class. They’re men – emp

Ranulph Fiennes is often dubbed the “world’s greatest living explorer” and is the recipient of the Polar Medal (Double Clasp) for “outstanding service to British Polar exploration and research.” He is the author of Shackleton: A Biography, which is p

A veteran of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-14, Frank Hurley (1885-1962) was the official photographer of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. A consummate artist, he documented the expedition and captured many stunning images – of

A merchant seaman and Royal Naval Reservist, New Zealander Frank Worsley (1872-1943) had 27 years’ maritime experience before he joined the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Shackleton appointed Worsley as captain of the Endurance and he was known

Michael Dylan Foster is Professor of Japanese and Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Davis, where he teaches courses on Japanese folklore, heritage, tourism and popular culture. He is the aut

Easily one of the most famous, if not the most famous, creatures of Japanese folklore. Oni are large ogres or demons with red or blue skin, long hair and huge fang-like tusks. They are born when an evil human dies and descends to one of the Buddhist

Yōkai, perhaps due to their bizarre visual traits, remain a popular subject for filmmakers. One of the most notable examples is a trilogy of Tokusatsu films (live-action films making heavy use of special effects) beginning with 1968’s Yōkai Monsters:

These grotesque creatures look like huge blobs of flesh, with sagging skin and fatty folds giving the impression of face-like features. In Edo-period publications none of the characteristics or habits of this bizarre monstrosity were known and it was

For the last three decades, Stephen Bourne has dedicated his career to uncovering the forgotten stories of Black Britain, from the servicemen and women who fought during the World Wars to the pioneers of Black British theatre. We spoke to Bourne abou

Former intelligence officer Anthony Tucker-Jones is a historian whose works include Operation Dragoon: The Liberation Of Southern France 1944 and Kursk 1943: Hitler’s Bitter Harvest. His new book, Churchill Master And Commander, is available 25 Novem

After the devastation of WWII and the occupation of France by Nazi Germany, the post-war French government looked to regain at least some of its prestige. One way was to reassert control of its colonial empire, which stretched across the globe but ha

Born into the noble French family of Castries, Christian started his military career in the cavalry but left for a short time to pursue equestrian sports, before rejoining the army as WWII began. He was captured in 1940, escaped a prisoner of war cam

French airborne troops under the command of Colonel Christian de Castries are parachuted or delivered by air to Dien Bien Phu in November 1953. The French hope to threaten Viet Minh lines of supply and communication and force them into a decisive bat

A series of large, fierce waves with white foam frothing at their edges: Under The Wave off Kanagawa (above, also known as The Great Wave Off Kanagawa) is one of the most famous and celebrated works of Japanese art. The striking painting is said to h

Book Film TV Podcast Games Other A solid, somewhat old-fashioned spy thriller that will delight espionage fans Certificate: 12A Director: Dominic Cooke Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel Brosnahan, Merab Ninidze Released: Out now For our money the go

Director: Steve McQueen Starring: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Brian Milligan Country: UK Released: 2008 Does this exploration of life in the Maze prison reflect the reality of the Troubles? VERDICT: The cold distance of the film allows facts

Kaiserschmarrn is a light and fluffy shredded pancake dessert popular in Austria, Bavaria, and other countries that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The origins of kaiserschmarrn are a mystery and there are different stories explaining