Medieval

High heaven: Lindisfarne Castle rises above the beach. It's a steep climb to the castle entrance. (Photo by Alamy)

History Explorer The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Drawing depicting crew of German traders at work aboard a Hanseatic League, aka German Hanse, aka Hansa 16th-century cargo vessel. (Photo by Mansell/Mansell/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images)

A medieval European union: why the Hanseatic League still matters

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The ruins of Dunluce Castle, which sit on the coastal cliffs of North Antrim in Northern Ireland. They are thought to have been the inspiration for CS Lewis’s castle Cair Paravel in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ (1950–56). (Photo by Andrea Ricordi/Contributor/Getty Images)

9 of Britain’s best castles . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

An illustration of the battle of Agincourt. By attacking over unsuitable ground, Charles d’Albret “doomed his army”, says Rupert Matthews. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The top 10 military blunders in history

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St Fagans Castle and gardens

A visit to St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The US–China trade war feels as if it’s blown up very suddenly, but a long and unhappy history of trade between China and the west is still well-remembered in Beijing. Rana Mitter examines the history. (Illustration by Kate Hazell for BBC World Histories Magazine)

Trading blows: Rana Mitter on the US-China Trade War

Construction of a medieval church

Bravado or blunder? Architectural fails of medieval church builders

The Knights Templar depicted on an antique map of Jerusalem. (Alamy)

The rise and fall of the Knights Templar

Historian, presenter and author Dan Jones. (David Levenson/Getty Images)

Dan Jones on the Templars and ‘Knightfall’

A portrait of Richard III. Was the last Yorkist king a usurper? Historian John Ashdown-Hill explains why this is a myth. (Photo by Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images)

Did fear drive Richard III to the throne?

BL52779 Roy 2 B VII f.78 Reaping corn harvest in August, from the Queen Mary Psalter, c.1310-20 (vellum) by English School, (14th century); British Library, London, UK; © British Library Board. All Rights Reserved; PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR NON EDITORIAL USAGE; English, out of copyright

PLEASE NOTE: The Bridgeman Art Library works with the owner of this image to clear permission. If you wish to reproduce this image, please inform us so we can clear permission for you.

What did Magna Carta mean to the English in 1215?

King Ludwig II of Bavaria. (Photo by Roger Viollet/Getty Images)

9 eccentric monarchs through history

Richard II sails down the Thames to Greenwich to meet the rebels. (Photo by Chronicle/Alamy Stock Photo)

Why did the peasants really revolt?

John Hardyng, a royal spy and cartographer who witnessed some of the 15th century's most extraordinary events. (Illustration by Sue Gent for BBC History Magazine)

John Hardyng: Henry V’s secret agent

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Master of the New College of the Humanities in London, Professor AC Grayling is a philosopher who has written and edited more than 30 books. (Image by Christian Sinibaldi-Eyevine)

Books interview with AC Grayling: “A great philosophical mind is one that belongs to a childish heart – always curious, always open” . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.