Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2018 i History Extra

“The Celts and Romans were implacable foes. That at least is the impression you get from popular representations of the two peoples. And of course this is not complete fiction as there certainly were spells of brutal warfare, notably during the campaigns of Julius Caesar. Yet this is far from the full story and in this month’s cover feature, beginning on page 20, world-leading Celts expert Barry Cunliffe reveals how the relationship was as much about trading as it was invading. When it comes to British heroes, few are more lionised than Horatio Nelson, the victor at Trafalgar. But he also had a darker side, notably in his support for the continuation of the slave trade, even at a time when popular opinion in Britain was turning against the barbaric…

On Christmas Day 1941, Lord Halifax, the British ambassador to Washington, visited the White House to find an extraordinary visitor enjoying the festive season. This was Winston Churchill, in the middle of a three-week stay as President Franklin D Roosevelt’s guest. Characteristically, Churchill had made himself at home: Halifax found him in his dressing gown, working on a big speech and “surrounded by cigars, whiskies and secretaries”. At noon the next day, Churchill arrived at the Capitol to deliver his speech. Only twice before had there been joint meetings of both houses of Congress: this was a signal honour. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurring barely three weeks before, security was tight. But the cameras had been invited in to mark the occasion; their lights made the usually…

Writing about the First World War (Was it Worth it?, November), Richard J Evans says the historian’s job is only to “explain how and why”, and not to make value judgments. I disagree. History must evaluate if it is to fulfil its main purpose: informing the present. Moreover, though objectivity might be adopted as a pose, it is humanly impossible when discussing anything of real importance. As EH Carr said, every worthwhile historian has a bee in his or her bonnet, and the use of language forbids neutrality. Professor Evans illustrates this point very well by his impassioned condemnation of the fighting of the First World War. Paul Cunningham, South Korea • We reward the Letter of the Month writer with one of our Books of the Year, The Indian…

Today, autobiographies are everywhere, a staple of the book trade. Yet this was far from the case in the Middle Ages. Back then, autobiographies were so rare that some scholars claim the genre did not even exist. And those memoirs that did exist tended to be restricted to the religious sphere, accounts written by clerics such as St Augustine (354–430) and French theologian Peter Abelard (1079–1142). Thanks to his Llibre dels fets or Book of Deeds, King James I of Aragon (reigned 1213–76) provides a fascinating exception to this rule. Apart from an imitation by James’s great-great-grandson, Peter IV the Ceremonius (reigned 1336–87), James’s is the only autobiography we have from a medieval king – and it lifts the lid on an incredible life. Born in 1208, James lost both…

1 Wolfson History Prize Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation by Peter Marshall Published 500 years after the Reformation sent shock-waves across Europe, this sweeping and authoritative volume examines how religious change took root in English society, revealing a process rife with complexities and contradictions. 2 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction The Gallows Pole by Benjamin Myers Inspired by the real story of the Cragg Vale Coiners, Myers’ novel follows a gang of counterfeiters operating in 18th-century Yorkshire under the charismatic leadership of ‘King’ David Hartley. Peppered with episodes of grisly violence, it’s not for the faint-hearted. 3 James Tait Black Prize for Biography Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown Scathingly rude, tremendously witty and devastatingly glamorous: this is the Margaret we…

One of 2018’s most impressive historical novels was Andrew Miller’s Now We Shall Be Entirely Free. In the winter of 1809, John Lacroix returns from the Peninsular War to his home in Somerset, damaged in body and spirit. Recovered physically but not psychologically, he flees to the Scottish islands to escape his demons, but he is pursued there by two dangerous men from his past. The latest novel by the prize-winning author of Pure successfully combines elements of an old-fashioned adventure story with a moving study of a man in search of personal redemption. In Mrs Whistler, Matthew Plampin brings the Victorian art world vividly to life, through a memorable portrait of the flamboyant American painter James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), as seen through the eyes of Maud Franklin, his muse,…

Every Christmas Eve, at the start of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge, a chorister is called upon to sing ‘Once in Royal David’s City’. A new documentary, Once in Royal David’s City (Radio 4, December), explores the history of this comparatively modern tradition, and asks what it’s like to sing solo when you know much of the nation is listening. In Drawing a Line Under the Troubles (Radio 4, Tuesday 11 December), journalist Peter Taylor examines the political, legal and moral questions surrounding attempts to prosecute soldiers who served during Northern Ireland’s Troubles. Also on Radio 4, a new episode of In Our Time looks at the poor laws (Thursday 20 December). In Victoria & Albert: The Wedding (BBC Two, December), Lucy Worsley oversees…

1 York Minster YORK Where the UK’s largest expanse of medieval glass can be seen York Minster’s roots date back to the seventh century when the first church is recorded on the site. Today it’s the second-largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and home to the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in Britain, including the 600-year-old East Window – the size of a tennis court. • yorkminster.org 2 St Magnus Cathedral KIRKWALL, ORKNEY ISLANDS Where Britain’s most northerly cathedral stands Work on the cathedral began in 1137 and was dedicated to Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, who was murdered on the orders of his cousin Hakon, co-ruler of the Orkney Islands, in c1115. Unlike most British cathedrals, it uses coloured stone to form patterns in its stonework, and is…

BEST TIME TO GO Jamaica’s warm, tropical climate means temperatures rarely fall below the mid-twenties. Humidity levels drop slightly in the summer months although temperatures can reach an average of 33›C. Jamaica’s hurricane season usually runs from June to November. GETTING THERE The flight time between London and Jamaica is between nine and ten hours and the island boasts three international airports. WHAT TO PACK A good quality sun cream, lightweight clothing to combat the humidity and heat, and a comfortable pair of walking shoes with which to make your way up to the Blue Mountain Peak. WHAT TO BRING BACK A few bags of the world-famous Blue Mountain coffee, locally made coconut oil (great for your cooking and your hair), and jerk seasoning to liven up mealtimes when you…

Rowena Cockett What most drew me to James I of Aragon’s autobiography was the unique opportunity it offers to access the internal world of a medieval king, including his thoughts, feelings, and personal challenges. • Rowena explores a remarkable medieval document on page 26 Christer Petley I have been interested in Nelson for as long as I can remember. But my recent research on the debate about the slave trade has revealed some disturbing aspects of his story. • Christer considers why the Trafalgar hero stood in opposition to abolition on page 50 Rebecca Probert Investigating the law and customs governing Victorian weddings helps explain the decisions made by couples of the time, and the policy choices that continue to shape the current law. • Rebecca describes the rules and…

The US and western relationship with Saudi Arabia has been dominated by oil. After the Second World War, the US was looking to ensure another supply of crude oil. American oil companies were already in Saudi Arabia, so US policymakers focused on securing Saudi oil supplies for American companies and crafting good relations with the Saudi government. “The need to secure oil supplies has meant some aspects of Saudi behaviour have been ignored or downplayed by the west”ELLEN WALD Saudi oil became more significant for the US in the early 1970s, when domestic US production was no longer able to keep up with American consumption. At the same time, Saudi Arabia, through its involvement in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, proved it could rile the global economy during…

“Last year at the University of Manchester (where I am a professor of public history), a British student of Somali ancestry wrote a thoughtful letter to her professor saying that the history course didn’t really speak for her, or to her, and that the ethnic balance of the staff didn’t make her feel at home in the study of history. The reaction of her professor was an honest admission that things were not good enough, and a wholesale review of admissions strategy, curriculum and careers planning began. A ‘conversation corner’ for students of colour was started, plus a series of lectures by invited speakers such as Hakim Adi. A trial study day on immigrant history was held, using sources in the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre in Manchester…

Do you think there is any value in re-enacting battles from the past? @LloydLlewJ I don’t doubt the enthusiasm and intellectual rigour of many re-enactors, and it’s good to have a form of archaeological reconstruction – testing the weight of equipment etc – but it can never replicate the real battle experience. @Padraig_McCann No. Every July, the nationalist communities of Northern Ireland are forced to hear about the result of the battle of the Boyne of 1690. It causes tension between the communities. @DoNaytion Re-enactment at its best is an attempt to understand history. Though it can stray into the murky waters of sanitising and glorifying what was neither clean nor noble, like all depictions of history, it is what people make of it. @pdberk I took part in the…

The dispossessed prince Æthelwold aetheling Æthelwold was a son of Æthelred I, king of Wessex from 865–71, and nephew of Alfred the Great. Perhaps born in the 860s, he was too young to succeed his father in 871. Æthelwold expected to be bequeathed lands in the will of his uncle, but these would have provided little recompense for the loss of the crown. He launched a rebellion against Edward the Elder, Alfred’s son and heir, which ended in his own death in battle in 902. The appointed successor Edward the Elder Edward was the eldest surviving son of Alfred the Great. Born in the early 870s, he was intended for his father’s throne, and led a faction of the West Saxon army during the 890s. Quick to respond to his…

Looking forward to 2019, the books coming up promise to be just as thought-provoking as those our experts have selected here. As a fan of all things Victorian, I’m particularly looking forward to Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five, which takes a sideways look at a much-sensationalised episode, asking what the stories of Jack the Ripper’s victims can tell us about life as a woman in the 19th century. Several intriguing biographies are in the pipeline too. Philip Mansel will give his take on France’s Sun King, Louis XIV, and those interested in the medieval world should look out for Janet L Nelson’s new life of Charlemagne. Come summer, the 75th anniversary of D-Day is sure to generate some action-packed accounts – James Holland’s promises to be a particularly high-energy endeavour. And…

Medieval The Restless Kings: Henry II, His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown by Nick Barratt (Faber and Faber) p68 The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey (Jonthan Cape) p72 Spy stories Invisible Agents: Women and Espionage in Seventeenth-Century Britain by Nadine Akkerman (Oxford University Press) p67 Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations by Ronen Bergman (Random House) p70 The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre (Viking) p70 Asian history The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience by David Gilmour (Allen Lane) p69 A Business History of India: Enterprise and the Emergence of Capitalism from 1700 by Tirthankar Roy (Cambridge University Press) p68 The Great Flowing River: A Memoir of China from…

In an age of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, it is nigh on impossible to view the enormity of Canterbury Cathedral with the mindset of a medieval pilgrim. Yet, even from a 21st-century perspective, it is hard not to be awestruck by the sheer size and scale of the massive stone structure, which towers over the city. The cathedral’s 1,400-year history is equally impressive, beginning in AD 597 with the arrival of its first archbishop, St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great to bring Christianity to England. Little remains of the original cathedral, which lies beneath the nave of the present building, or of the Norman cathedral built by its 35th archbishop, Lanfranc, after the Norman conquest. The cathedral we see today is an amalgamation of 900 years of building…

The small island of Jamaica has many blessings – sunshine, palm trees swaying in the warm breeze, steel pan or reggae music playing somewhere in the distance, and miles of beautiful white sand beaches that edge warm blue and turquoise waters. But Jamaica has so much more to offer than sun, sea and sand. A rich and vibrant history, a diverse culture and an amazing and varied landscape makes this island one of my favourite places to visit. Jamaica has not always been thought of as a destination for European and North American travellers. The changing image of the island has corresponded quite closely to its relationship with, and its history within, the British empire. When the English first took the island from the Spanish in 1655, Jamaica was known…

Q Did royal bedding ceremonies really take place? If so, why – and what did they involve? O Adamberry, Gibraltar A Yes, they did. Through the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, the procreation of royal partners – like their birth, death and bodily functions – was regarded as a matter of public concern. Moreover, a marriage (royal or otherwise) was not considered to be legally binding until it had been consummated. While the bride was prepared by female guests, the groom was helped into his nightgown by his friends before being led to his wife’s chamber amid a stream of bawdy jokes, and a priest would bless the bed and pray for the couple’s fertility. Records show that when Henry V married Catherine of Valois in 1420,…

King George I was served plum pudding as part of his first Christmas dinner as monarch, on 25 December 1714 – or so the legend goes. Whether it’s true or not, George I came to be nicknamed the ‘Pudding King’ for his supposed association with the dish. It wasn’t until the 1830s, though, that the tasty mix of flour, fruits, suet, sugar and spices was referred to as ‘Christmas Pudding’ and became associated with the festive period. Traditionally, the pudding would have been made and boiled in a cloth rather than a basin, then hung up to dry to enhance its flavour. This recipe makes enough for three puddings – to make one large one I’d use half the amount of ingredients. I also used prunes instead of plums. INGREDIENTS…

Unreal perceptions A History of Delusions RADIO Radio 4 Scheduled for Monday 3 December In psychiatry, the term delusion refers to a false idea that a person sustains despite evidence to the contrary. This definition has its roots in 19th-century France, but the story of delusions goes back much further – think of the way clergy were asked to deal with demonic possession. The topic is explored by experimental psychologist Professor Daniel Freeman over 10 weekday episodes, starting with the 14 Napoleons who presented to Paris’s Bicêtre Asylum in 1840, the year in which that erstwhile emperor’s body was returned to the city. Last days The Long Song TV BBC One Scheduled for mid-December In 1838, slavery finally came to an end in the British colony of Jamaica. This new…

“Disraeli was a flamboyant, enormously engaging romantic with a way with words, who was also very good at the showmanship side of politics” Benjamin Disraeli, born into a Jewish family but brought up a Christian, was elected as a Tory MP in 1837. He was the architect of the 1867 Reform Act, which enfranchised urban male workers, and was prime minister twice (1868, 1874–80) during which time he promoted the empire and introduced social reforms at home. He also wrote several novels. When did you first hear about Disraeli? I knew he was an important figure from an early age because my family often discussed history. I also wrote an O-level history project about Disraeli and the 1874 election. What kind of person was he? A flamboyant, enormously engaging romantic…