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Film reel
Fast and Loose: The Value of Historically Questionable Cinema
Historical cinema comes in for endless criticism from reviewers, viewers and – of course – historians: filmmakers bring their own interests, opinions and biases to their work. They make films not just to entertain, but generally speaking to express a message. So what value is there in an historical film, especially one which takes huge liberties…
Book Reviews
World Aflame
The World Aflame, Dan Jones and Marina Amaral
The World Aflame is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Colour of Time, a worldwide bestseller that changed perceptions of the past through the careful colourization of black-and-white photographs. Marina Amaral’s pictures and Dan Jones’s text took the reader on a new journey through history, from the first photographs to the popularization…
News
Hereford mappa mundi (13th century)
Elizabeth Baigent: In Conversation
As the final part in a trilogy of articles on space and history, I met up with Oxford professor Dr Elizabeth Baigent, University Reader in the History of Geography and SCIO Senior Tutor at Wycliffe Hall, after a lecture she gave as part of the Bodleian Libraries' Talking Maps exhibition. It was a great pleasure to hear her speak in more detail…
News
Covid-19
The Best History Resources for Covid-19 Lockdown!
Struggling to keep the kids engaged with homeschooling during lockdown for Covid-19, or just bored and looking for new things to do? Check out this list of some of the best history-related (ish) resources on the web!
Tudor
John Dee
Ten Things You Might Not Know About John Dee
John Dee is famous as a sorcerer and alchemistSomeone who practices alchemy (the attempt to turn base metals into gold and to gain spiritual awareness and immortality). Someone who practices alchemy (the attempt to turn base metals into gold and to gain spiritual awareness and immortality). Someone who practices alchemy (the attempt to turn base…

Latest Articles

John Dee
Ten Things You Might Not Know About John Dee
John Dee is famous as a sorcerer and alchemistSomeone who practices alchemy (the attempt to turn base metals into gold and to gain spiritual awareness and immortality). Someone who practices alchemy…
Read more
Edo period map
Charts and Minds: Maps - Beyond Geography
Maps are usually looked at as functional works that have the narrow aim of describing geographical spaces. This idea is just as narrow. They are not just a description of geography and topography,…
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Ortelius world map
The Primary Frontier: Space and History
The study of history has traditionally focused on the actions of individuals and groups of human beings, identifying them as the key agents in an ongoing drama. But more recently some historians have…
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Latest Quizzes

Moon landings
The first Moon landing - 50th anniversary quiz
How much do you really know about the Moon landing in 1969? Try the GetHistory.co.uk 50th anniversary quiz and find out!
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Name the historical character from their on screen depiction
Name the historical character from their on screen depiction
Can you match the following film and TV characters to the real historical character? See if you can get over 70%!
Read more
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day Quiz
How much do you really know about the history of Valentine's Day?
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Latest News

Film reel
Fast and Loose: The Value of Historically Questionable Cinema
Historical cinema comes in for endless criticism from reviewers, viewers and – of course – historians: filmmakers bring their own interests, opinions and biases to their work. They make films not…
Read more
Hereford mappa mundi (13th century)
Elizabeth Baigent: In Conversation
As the final part in a trilogy of articles on space and history, I met up with Oxford professor Dr Elizabeth Baigent, University Reader in the History of Geography and SCIO Senior Tutor at Wycliffe…
Read more
Covid-19
The Best History Resources for Covid-19 Lockdown!
Struggling to keep the kids engaged with homeschooling during lockdown for Covid-19, or just bored and looking for new things to do? Check out this list of some of the best history-related (ish)…
Read more

Latest Reviews

World Aflame
The World Aflame, Dan Jones and Marina Amaral
The World Aflame is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Colour of Time, a worldwide bestseller that changed perceptions of the past through the careful colourization of black-and-white…
Read more
Turing-Welchman Bombe
The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park
The National Museum of Computing, situated within the Bletchley Park complex, is heaven for geeks and computer enthusiasts. Charting the development of computing from the first Turing-Welchman Bombe…
Read more
Verulamium museum
Verulamium Museum, St Albans
The Verulamium Museum, named after the Roman town around what is now St Albans, is perfectly placed to tell the story of life before and during the Roman occupation.
Read more

Fact of the Day

James I punished one person who had been unwilling to extend him credit by ordering the offender to attend on him - by walking behind the royal procession as they progressed from London to Carlisle (a distance of about three hundred miles).

Quote of the Day

"People in high or in distinguished life ought to have a greater circumspection in regard to their most trivial actions. For instance, I saw Mr [Alexander] Pope...to the best of my memory, he was picking his nose. "
~ William Shenstone

On This Day

30 BCE (or 10 August 30 BCE) Following her defeat at the hands of Octavian and the death of Mark Antony, Cleopatra committed suicide. It is commonly believed that she used an asp, although no venomous snake was found near her.
1099 What is generally thought to be the final battle of the First Crusade was fought at Ascalon. Despite being outnumbered, the crusaders under Godfrey of Bouillon easily won the day and scattered the unprepared and outclassed Fatamid army.
1469 Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers, was executed for treason on the orders of Warwick the Kingmaker, during the Wars of the Roses. His main crime seems to have been having the audacity to allow his commoner daughter, Elizabeth, to marry Edward IV (and for supporting his son-in-law). 
1765 The Treaty of Allahabad was signed, securing the British East India Company's rule in India.
1827 English poet and artist William Blake died, impoverished, largely unrecognised, and deemed 'eccentric' by most of his contemporaries.
1865 Joseph Lister became the first person to use disinfectant during surgery. The subject, who had a compound fracture, healed fully.
1939 The Wizard of Oz made its worldwide premiere at Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
1952 Thirteen Jewish intellectuals, including five poets, who had been falsely accused of spying were executed in a Moscow prison during the Night of the Murdered Poets. Despite being good Communists, they had fallen foul of Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign.
1964 Novelist and author of the James Bond series Ian Fleming died of a heart attack, aged 56. His last recorded words were an apology to the paramedics for having inconvenienced them, and an observation about how busy the roads had become.
1964 Charlie Wilson, one of the Great Train Robbers, escaped from Winson Green Prison in Birmingham. He was recaptured in Canada four years later.