Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i History Extra

“In his memoirs of the Second World War, Winston Churchill wrote: “The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril.” It’s not hard to understand why. If Britain couldn’t feed itself or supply its factories then the war would surely have been lost, regardless of the situation on overseas battlefields. Fortunately, Britain and its allies eventually triumphed in the Battle of the Atlantic, but, as the historian Roger Moorhouse notes in his cover feature this month, it was a close-run thing. Roger’s piece also focuses on the conduct of the U-boat war. It’s often been assumed that, as in other theatres, the German crews paid little regard to the rules of war and committed several atrocities against their foes. But, through his new research,…

“They arrived with just £3. Imagine starting a new life with so little” I REMEMBER LOOKING IN THE BBC ARCHIVES for stories of the first arrivals of South Asians in the postwar years, and being surprised at how little programming had been made documenting the experiences of my parents’ generation. That was well over 10 years ago now. From then on, I began to record testimonies of people who came to the UK from South Asia after the Second World War for my Radio 4 series Three Pounds in My Pocket. The title of that programme was inspired by the fact that, for years after the war, strict currency controls dictated that those arriving from India could not bring more than £3 into the UK. Imagine starting a new life…

SOCIAL “The landed upper class have been in decline for most of the last century” Miles Taylor reviews an absorbing study of the modern British aristocracy ➤ page 75 CULTURAL “‘Slavery in Islam’ has long been a political football all too often kicked around by west-is-best nativists” Jonathan Brown is impressed by a detailed exploration of slavery in the Islamic world ➤ page 72 CULTURE “Every now and then, a book comes along where it’s always a joy to dip in, even for just a few pages” Lizanne Henderson lauds a new history of folklore through the ages ➤ page 76 SCIENCE “Einstein was among the first to argue for a boycott of German scientists” Jimena Canales considers an “engaging but flawed” portrait of an iconic scientist ➤ page 73…

While Einstein scholarship has recently been energised by revelations about the physicist’s private life, this engaging but flawed book tells a more familiar story, of his scientific triumphs and dedication to the betterment of humankind. It makes much of how, at the end of the First World War, a 40-year-old “self-effacing” Einstein was thrust into celebrity. He used his platform “to bring about a stable, peaceful coexistence, and tolerance among former enemies”. As the Entente nations boycotted German science, he strove for “international cooperation”. Although many of his contemporaries embraced communism, Einstein held an “abiding suspicion of the Bolshevik regime”. As antisemitism flourished, he defended the Jewish community with a consistency “no less variable over time than his scientific and political views”. But the authors ignore contrary evidence from his…

Which real events or figures shaped your portrayal of the Moscow Metro’s construction in the early 1930s? I built my story around the real Metro and I portrayed many of its real characters, including Nikita Khrushchev. I was fascinated to learn that archaeologists had been sent to clear the way for the tunnellers. So some of the discoveries in my story really happened, including the finding of Ivan’s the Terrible’s lost palace. Are investigator Anton Belkin or Vika of the secret police inspired by actual people in Soviet history? They are entirely imaginary. But at the same time, I have 30 years’ experience of interviewing survivors of Stalin’s tyranny. The voices of those real people – their choice of words, their preoccupations, even their tastes in tea and music –…

Eyewitness Sainsbury Centre, Norwich / Until 15 February 2026 / sainsburycentre.ac.uk Shakespearean tragedy and Hitchcock’s Psycho meet in a new exhibition that reveals how the spectacle of violence has shaped performance across centuries, from glove puppets to cutting-edge stagecraft. Through global works that confront homicide, morality and justice, Eyewitness invites its audience to question the impact of witnessing violence in culture and daily life. It’s part of the Sainsbury Centre’s multi-exhibition Can We Stop Killing Each Other? season. Made in Ancient Egypt The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge / 3 October 2025–12 April 2026 / fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk Discover the ingenious methods, creative techniques and untold stories of the artisans whose legacy illuminates one of history’s greatest civilisations. This exhibition showcases dazzling jewellery, sculpture and ceramics – many never before seen in the UK…

Across for north-east Asia (5) Down 1 See 15 across 2 18th-century Scottish political economist, author of The Wealth of Nations (4,5) 3 Organisation founded in 1919 that succeeded the Irish Volunteers (3) 4 Mediterranean island that became Austrian territory in 1708, as affirmed by the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht (8) 6 Co-founder of the National Trust in 1895 (7,4) 7 Icelandic prose narratives about legendary and historical heroes (5) 8 Term for the Americas, possibly first used (in Latin) by Amerigo Vespucci (3,5) 9 Ancient alphabetic script used in Irish and Pictish inscriptions on stone monuments (5) 14 ____ mechanism, an ancient Greek ‘computer’ recovered in 1901 from a wreck (11) 18 Sixth ruler of Babylon’s first dynasty, celebrated for his code of laws (9) 19 George ____ (1800–91),…

1. Late to the table It’s hard to imagine eating most meals without forks, but as I learned in Q&A this month, this piece of cutlery was not commonly used in England until the 17th century (page 45). 2. One-sided picture In Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth’s contribution to this month’s Conversation section, she mentioned the fact that only 27 of the National Gallery’s more than 2,300 paintings were by women artists (page 14). 3. Time for change Nowadays we’re all used to there being one consistent time across the UK, but it was interesting to discover that, until the 19th century, British cities all worked to their own times, sometimes varying by as much as 30 minutes from one another (page 63).…

I greatly enjoyed your interview with Alice Roberts about her new book Domination, (Books Interview, September), and its argument that the church was essentially Rome rebadged, with its structures and ambitions intact. I have now read the book as well, but was disappointed that neither seemed to fully recognise that Christianity’s spread in Europe was not purely a Roman project. Celtic Christians, for example, nurtured the faith organically, often in spite of Roman opposition. Christianity might have thrived independently without imperial support, although it may have emerged in a more fragmented and less organised form – something the post-Reformation era has shown to be possible. These parallel movements remind us that the story of Christianity in Europe is as much about grassroots resilience as it is about imperial adoption and…

During the early years of the Second World War, Britain came perilously close to defeat in the Battle of the Atlantic – a prolonged struggle against German U-boats aiming to sever the maritime lifelines sustaining Britain. As an island nation dependent on imports for food, fuel and war materiel, Britain faced an existential threat from the Kriegsmarine’s submarine campaign. Between 1939 and 1945, German U-boats sank more than 2,700 Allied merchant ships, totalling approximately 14.5 million gross tons. The most dangerous period came in 1942, when 1,160 ships were lost to U-boats– more than 6.2 million tons – much of it along the poorly defended US coast during Operation Drumbeat. Britain’s shipping losses outpaced production for much of 1941–42, and food rationing became more severe. At one point, Britain had…

Were the ancient Greeks really addicted to fish? One answer to this question is relatively straightforward. For much of Greek history, people living near the coast or on the islands ate plenty of fish and seafood – not out of obsession, but out of practicality. The sea offered a reliable, accessible source of nutrition. It is essential, though, to remember that the ancient Greeks did not comprise a single, unified culture. Tastes varied widely across cities and centuries. Moreover, like modern consumers, different individuals had different preferences: some sought out rare and expensive fish, while others avoided seafood altogether. In Homer’s epics, for instance, there is a striking aversion to seafood: he refers to the consumption of fish only twice, in both instances as a desperate measure in the face…

Danny Bird Your book opens with the story of a woman named Solitude on Guadaloupe. Why did you choose to start with her and what can she tell us about the wider history of resistance among enslaved people? Sudhir Hazareesingh Solitude was the first black woman to be commemorated with a statue in Paris – an honour granted only recently [the statue was unveiled in 2022]. I chose her because her vital role in the anti-slavery struggle, both in Guadeloupe and more widely, had largely been ignored. She represents the countless anonymous heroes of ongoing resistance to slavery. Little is known of her life. Born in Guadeloupe in the late 18th century, her mother had been raped during the Middle Passage. Solitude gained her freedom in 1794 when France abolished…

Does the Labour government’s plan to abolish the remaining hereditary peers in the House of Lords spell the end of the British aristocracy? Not really. As Eleanor Doughty’s absorbing and compendious book shows, the landed upper class have been in decline for most of the last century, but have managed a “slow metamorphosis” to soften their fall. This is a fairly well-known story. Readers familiar with the classic work of David Cannadine and Peter Mandler will recognise many of the themes. But Heirs and Graces is one of the few studies to focus exclusively on the c800 men (relatively few are women) who are hereditary peers, as opposed to peers created for life. In 1945, their condition looked parlous. The book opens with a vivid account of Wentworth Woodhouse near…

Every now and then, a book comes along where it’s always a joy to dip in, even if just for a few pages. Folklore fits that description. The title’s sub-heading, A Journey Through the Past and Present, is a fitting prelude to what lies within, with the bulk of the material covering the 18th and 19th centuries but continuing up to the present day. Folklore thus offers its readers a blend of what might be considered traditional folkloric material with more modern-day popular culture. This structure pays dividends in terms of effectively presenting the developmental phases and evolutionary processes of folklore. The book consists of (an auspiciously numbered) 13 chapters, divided into seven main parts, a structure that assists the reader in navigating the wide range of topics covered. Additionally,…

The state of nations It’s 80 years since the Charter of the United Nations, signed in June 1945 as the Second World War reached its endgame in Asia, came into effect. Subsequently, an organisation designed to keep the peace and promote cooperation has sometimes been lauded for its efforts but has also been accused of proving unable to intervene because of political paralysis. With the emphasis on the role of emerging nations, its history is explored in Archive on 4: War & Peace – The UN at 80 (BBC Radio 4, Saturday 11 October), presented by Thant Myint-U – grandson of U Thant, the first UN secretary-general to hail from the global south. The documentary also asks whether the UN can adapt to cope with what lies ahead in an…

Wharram Percy is one of the best-preserved of Britain’s deserted settlements – yet, even after decades of academic study, it still feels like a hidden secret. First you must descend an ancient track deep within the Yorkshire Wolds; only then can you find the medieval road leading to the heart of this long-abandoned village. Today, a tumbledown church dating from the 12th century is the last standing structure of medieval origin. Cows graze where peasant longhouses once stood, and the waters of a shimmering millpond are ruffled only by damselflies and birds. At the turn of the 14th century, though, Wharram Percy was home to around 200 residents. Follow a path between its earthwork remains and you can imagine how it might once have looked at its peak, under the…

IN PROFILE Born in Spain, Inés Suárez participated in the conquest of Chile with her lover, Pedro de Valdivia, and defended the new settlement they founded, Santiago, from an attack by the Indigenous Mapuche people. She subsequently became a symbol of the Chilean woman standing up to authority, and has been immortalised in historical novels including Allende’s Inés of My Soul (2006), inspiration for the Spanish-Chilean television drama of the same name. “She defied everyone and did things her way, challenging the church and the world. She was unstoppable, and I love that” When did you first hear about Suárez? When I was studying Chilean history – though she is hardly mentioned in most Chilean history books, despite being the only Spanish woman to accompany 110 Conquistadors to what was…

Louise Devoy “Every time we glance at our watches or check our location on our phones, we’re relying on the extraordinary work done by generations of astronomers at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.” Louise highlights eight landmark moments in the Royal Observatory’s history on page 60 Sudhir Hazareesingh “Africa exerted a profound influence on the cultures of resistance to slavery, yet its role is often overlooked in the literature.” Sudhir discusses his new book looking at how enslaved people resisted their oppressors on page 68 Christienna Fryar “Few institutions teach more people about the past than museums. That’s what makes the question of who decides what stories they tell so vexed.” Christienna shares her thoughts on how museums can adapt to the demands of the 21st century on page 11 Mike…

“Emperor Jahangir and Shah Abbas literally bestride the world like colossi” WATCHING THE RECENT SPECTACLE OF THOSE latter-day emperors President Xi of China and India’s Narendra Modi hugging each other at the summit in Tianjin, my mind cast back to an earlier image of a pan-Asian summit. There’s a wonderful painting from 1618 of the Mughal emperor Jahangir embracing Shah Abbas of Iran (below, Jahangir on the right) – one of several such pictures painted for the Indian ruler. These heads of two superpowers were in fact not bosom buddies but intense geopolitical rivals, especially in the Kandahar region of south-west Afghanistan, then under Mughal control. Framed by a huge golden halo, in an image of peace, one stands on a lamb, the other on a lion, both on a…

…my urine has turned black! What does your wee say about your health? Well, plenty – but perhaps not in quite the way medieval physicians understood it. Before the in-depth study of anatomy and physiology, establishing the causes of symptoms relied on theories that today seem primitive or foolish. However, they were often based on long-established ideas about the body and its function. Medieval treatises on uroscopy – the study of urine – identified up to 20 colours, each indicating certain diseases. Many texts on this subject were accompanied by drawings of glass flasks filled with liquid coloured with an appropriate pigment. These might be arranged in a circular shape with descriptive labels (as shown far left), helping readers to memorise the key diagnostic details. Perhaps unsurprisingly, black was the…

Listen ad-free at historyextra.com/podcast or with ads wherever you get your podcasts ANCIENT Wonder women The Amazons are remembered as formidable and fearsome female fighters who bravely battled against the male heroes of Greek legend. But, as David Braund reveals, there is much more to the story of these ancient warrior women. POLITICAL Prime time Embroiled in bitter disputes over the Corn Laws and vilified for his U-turns, Robert Peel didn’t always have an easy ride during his political career and two tenures as prime minister. But, argues Richard Gaunt, his impact can still be felt today. SOCIAL Fighting for rights Despite facing significant obstacles in their own lives, black women in the US were at the forefront of human rights movements at home and abroad. Keisha N Blain shares…

As an undergraduate student, I asked one of my tutors where I could learn more about the 17th century. The answer: read Kishlansky. I picked up a copy of A Monarchy Transformed and was immediately enthralled. Narrative history at its best, it plunged me into the turmoil and upheavals of this whirlwind of a century that Kishlansky describes as “a wheel of transformation in perpetual motion”. The book reveals the 17th century to be the foundation of modern Britain. England, Scotland and Ireland went from being three nations to a united kingdom, no longer a culturally and politically isolated set of islands but an intellectual and military power. It went through near-absolutist monarchy and an experiment in republicanism before arriving at constitutional monarchy. Power devolved from the court to parliament…