In 1609, Galileo constructs his first telescope. A year later, he writes of his observations in Sidereus Nuncius, roughly translating as ‘Starry Messenger’. The book helps earn Galileo the attention of the Medici family and challenges known scientifi

It’s great to see that the wives of Henry VIII have been getting some renewed interest in recent months. This is, in part, thanks to the release of the musical Six, which is a comedy/pop music take on the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn,

Director: Paul WS Anderson Starring: Kit Harrington, Keifer Sutherland, Emily Browning Country: Italy Year: 2014 Can love overcome an erupting volcano? Probably not… VERDICT: While the story is fictional, the key event sticks largely to the science N

In 1807, after many years of campaigning by an ever-growing abolitionist movement, the British Parliament passed the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. While this did not free people who were already enslaved, it was the beginning of a process

In early September 1939, as Hitler’s armies advanced across Europe, the British government began preparations for war. One of its concerns surrounded the threat of aerial attacks by the Luftwaffe – Nazi Germany’s air force. Technology had developed a

Gabrielle-Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet, was one of the great intellectuals of her era as well as the intellectual and romantic partner of Voltaire, among other lovers. Her work was primarily focused in mathematics and physics

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, USA Drawing from the Classical Revival movement of the Enlightenment, Monticello was famously the home of United States Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. It was built between 1768 and 1809, with a bulk of the construction b

The legacy of Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII’s fourth wife, is one of paradoxes. To some historians, she is the discarded and unwanted wife. To others she is the lucky one. Despite the fact that her disastrous marriage only lasted around six months, Anne

In the mid-15th century, at the height of his powers, the mighty emperor Pachacuti returned to Cusco to discover his wife-sister had bore him a new son. Although he had older legitimate sons, he sensed something special in this boy. As he raised him

The Battle of Chaeronea was one of the most decisive in the ancient world – it decided the fate of Greece. The country’s future rested on two of its hitherto greatest military powers: Athens and Thebes. The result of Chaeronea was, however, to be a c

Henry VIII is said to have provided these delicious treats with their peculiarly quaint name. The story states that he named them after Anne Boleyn, at that time the maid of honour to Catherine of Aragon. So enamoured was Henry VIII with these cakes

How has our understanding of what constituted the Enlightenment changed? Historians’ interest in the Enlightenment is actually quite recent, gathering pace only after the Second World War. Until then, understanding of the ‘what, when and where’ of th

Scott offers up a new swords and sandals spectacle for the mob Certificate: 15 Creator: Ridley Scott Cast: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal Released: Out now Avoiding major spoilers for this film as best we can, we begin 16 years after th

Southeast Asia is dotted with ancient, often abandoned sites of earlier civilisations. These range from B-52-bombed temples of My Son in the Vietnamese mountains to the magisterial Buddhist stupa Borobudur, surrounded by the smoking volcanoes of Java

Making art is one of the defining characteristics of humanity and as far back as we can look we find people creating patterns and images. But decoding what that art means is often not a simple task because it can have many layers and contain secrets

The Renaissance period is known for its stunning artwork. Examples of paintings, sculpture and architecture spring to mind when we think of this era, but what about drawing? Many Renaissance artists made preparatory sketches or studies before embarki

Located in the grounds of the Palace of Versailles on the Trianon Estate near Paris is the Petit Trianon, a smaller palace designed in the style of neoclassicism. During the Enlightenment, neoclassical architecture flourished across Europe. Harking b

After pleading guilty to all charges against him, American domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, was sentenced to serve several consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Kaczynski had begun a 17-year bombi

In 1962, the world was stunned by the tragic death of Marilyn Monroe, a symbol of beauty and fame, who passed away at just 36. Her untimely demise has been attributed to her reliance on prescription drugs, a conclusion drawn from scientific analysis,

On 21 July 1967, the Sexual Offences Act received Royal Assent. Although the Act only partially decriminalised homosexuality and included several conditions, its importance cannot be overstated. Prior to the Act, queer men could be the victims of har

English 28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547 Henry VIII was king of England from April 1509 to January 1547 and is remembered as a cruel and overweight monarch. One thing that contributed to his infamous size and 132cm waistband was his love of banquets an

Book Film TV Podcast Games Other Reviews by Jonathan Gordon, Callum McKelvie, Emily Staniforth A new documentary opens the crypt and shows there was more to this cinematic icon than Gothic castles and vampires Certificate: 12A Creator: Jon Spira Cast

Former member of the Beatles John Lennon was gunned down in front of the Dakota apartment building where he lived in New York City at around 10.50pm on 8 December 1980. Having been shot in the back four times, he was rushed to hospital, where he was

Welcome to the 150th issue of All About History. Not a bad milestone for us to hit and one I’m incredibly proud to be a part of. We’ve tackled a lot of subjects across those issues and frequently doubled back to areas for reexamination. In some ways,

Here at All About History, we love to learn as much as we can about the past in order to create an engaging and exciting magazine for our readers. Someone who shares this passion with us is writer and actor Terry Deary, who is best-known as the man b

The ancient Greeks were no strangers to a good party. Their symposiums were a form of boozy banquet that usually occurred after a main feast, and attendees were mainly concerned with drinking. Intended for male guests only, members of the wealthy cla

It’s the dark of midwinter but all around you are bright candles – gifts have been exchanged, you’re digging in to a hearty meal and you’re surrounded by friends and family, many of whom might be a little the worse for drink. The mood is jolly and re

On 23 April 1892, 16-year-old William Willan and his gang were lying in wait for Peter Kennedy, a rival gang member, outside the mill where Kennedy worked. When Kennedy saw them, he tried to escape but was soon chased down by the dozen youths armed w