Matthew Harffy looks at Greek Fire (also called Roman Fire), 'the early medieval weapon of mass destruction', and its connection with the Vikings and al-Andalus, as featured in his novel A Day of Reckoning. Humankind has an incredible capacity for creativity. But it is a terrible reality that this talent … Continue Reading
Lead Article
Features
1217 and the ideals of chivalry
In 1217 a man known as 'the greatest knight' broke a treaty to, as he saw it, save England from French rule. Catherine Hanley asks: did he go … Continue Reading
Vampire or victim? The real Countess Báthory
By Sonia Velton
Who was Countess Erzsébet Báthory? A prototype vampire? A religious – or political – victim? Sonia Velton, author of The Nightingale’s Castle, … Continue Reading
Magic versus jadoo in 1920s British Colonial India
Harini Nagendra writes about the street magicians of India and how these performers of jadoo fascinated Westerners, who copied their 'tricks' … Continue Reading
Review: Later Stuart Queens, 1660–1735
By Linda Porter
Linda Porter reviews a new and timely book about the later Stuart queens. This is an important and interesting collection of essays, she says -- … Continue Reading
Interviews
Historia interview: 2023 HWA Gold Crown shortlist: Rebecca Stott
By Frances Owen
Rebecca Stott's novel Dark Earth was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award in 2023. The judges described it as "spellbinding... Filled with folklore and myth and evocative world-building, an immersive and … Continue Reading
Historia interview: SG MacLean
By Frances Owen
To mark SG (Shona) MacLean's new novel, The Winter List, being published, Historia spoke to her about returning to characters we thought we'd seen the last of, as well as how she goes about researching her novels … Continue Reading
Reviews
Review: Later Stuart Queens, 1660–1735
By Linda Porter
Linda Porter reviews a new and timely book about the later Stuart queens. This is an important and interesting collection of essays, she says -- but how many will be able to afford to read it? Historia readers … Continue Reading
Review: Mary & George
Who better than a novelist who's also a historian and the latest biographer of Charles I to review Mary & George, the TV drama based on the life of George, Duke of Buckingham, favourite of James VI and I? We … Continue Reading