BBC History Magazine aims to shed new light on the past to help you make more sense of the world today. Fascinating stories from contributors are the leading experts in their fields, so whether they're exploring Ancient Egypt, Tudor England or the Second World War, you'll be reading the latest, most thought-provoking historical research. BBC History Magazine brings history to life with informative, lively and entertaining features written by the world's leading historians and journalists and is a captivating read for anyone who's interested in the past.
WELCOME CHRISTMAS 2022
THIS ISSUE'S CONTRIBUTORS
ANNIVERSARIES • HELEN CARR highlights events that took place at Christmas in history
THE HISTORIAN'S VIEW • Sumita Mukherjee profiles the politicians of colour who paved Rishi Sunak's road to No 10 - despite their vocal detractors
Are period dramas ruining history? • The return of Netflix series The Crown has sparked debate about its take on the royal family. We spoke to historians FERN RIDDELL and NICOLA TALLIS about the extent to which it matters that dramas depict the past accurately, and the ethical issues raised by portraying real people and events on screen
HISTORY NEWS IN BRIEF
The turbulent history of mass protests in Iran • Since mid-September, crowds have taken to the streets of Tehran in response to violence against women allegedly perpetrated by security forces of the Islamic Republic. SIAVUSH RANDJBAR-DAEMI traces the roots of unrest in Iran from the Second World War onwards
HIDDEN HISTORIES • KAVITA PURI explores lesser-known stories from our past
MICHAEL WOOD ON… • THE LEGACY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
LETTERS
BBC History Magazine
Tudor rebellion • In 1549, thousands of people in Devon and Cornwall rose up in revolt against Edward VI's religious policies. Mark Stoyle asks whether the so-called Prayer Book Rebellion could have toppled the Tudor state
TIMELINE The story of an insurrection
“We the Cornishmen utterly refuse this new English” • The Prayer Book Rebellion was an expression of cultural as well as religious defiance, explains Mark Stoyle
The hidden Victorians • From world-famous composers and eminent physicians to unwavering voting rights campaigners, black Britons helped shape the 19th century. So why, ask Keshia N Abraham and John Woolf, are their stories not better known today?
FIGHTING DIRTY • Faking retreats, attacking enemies in their sleep or even playing dead - medieval soldiers were prepared to do it all. James Titterton reveals five deceptive tactics that armies employed to come up trumps on the battlefield
DIVIDED THEY FELL • A century after the Ottoman empire came to an end, Ryan Gingeras chronicles the rising tide of sectarianism that drove this once mighty imperium into extinction
TIMELINE An empire's final throes
Q&A • A selection of historical conundrums answered by experts
DID YOU KNOW…?
PRINCESS OF EGYPT, PRISONER OF ROME… …HERO OF AFRICA • Jane Draycott reveals how Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, turned a tragic inheritance into a triumphant reign
MONEY TALKS • How Cleopatra Selene used her coinage to honour her Egyptian roots
"If the Americans had bombed Cuba in 1962, escalation would have been almost inevitable" • In his new book, Max Hastings turns to one of the most dangerous fortnights in history, when the United States and Soviet Union took the world to the brink of Armageddon
Signs of the times • When Thomas Speller announced he was getting married in 1618, the news sparked a bitter family feud - simply because he was deaf. Rosamund Oates explores what Thomas's case tells us about the challenges facing deaf people in early...