Tudor John Knox: Scottish minister, writer and leader of the Reformation
This month Melita Thomas of Tudor Times explores the life and times of Tudor John Knox, a Scottish firebrand who lived through during the reigns of King Henry VIII, Edward VI, Bloody Mary and...
Kings and Queens: Canute the Great 1016-1035
King Canute invited and conquered much of England - and didn't really believe he could control the tides
Danish-born King Canute is often held up as an example of monarchical folly. Much of this is due...
Kings and Queens: Alfred the Great 871-899
The Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great fought off the Vikings
In the early Middle Ages, England was divided into seven kingdoms but, as the 9th century progressed, marauding hordes of Vikings took control of large...
Charlie Chaplin: his life story
As a blue plaque is unveiled in his honour, we tell the story of London-born Charlie Chaplin – a British comedy genius who used silent films to convey a subtlety that revolutionised cinema
Today, British...
The Tudor Rose, Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York was a queen who was greatly loved in her own lifetime, and sincerely mourned at her death, yet for five hundred years she has been half-forgotten. Melita Thomas of Tudor Times...
Henry VIII: King of England
Remembered as much for his wives as his politics, we delve into the life of this most complicated monarch, who is perhaps the most well-known of all the Kings of England.
“Have fun with Henry...
10 greatest men in British history
William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Robert the Bruce all make historian Dan Snow’s top 10 of the greatest men in British history - who would make your list?
Historian and television presenter, Dan Snow shares...
The life and times of Charles Dickens: timeline
Charles Dickens is renowned as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian period and has made grand contributions to classic English literature.
1812
Charles John Huffam Dickens is born on 7 February to John and...