BBC History Magazine

BBC History Magazine aims to shed new light on the past to help you make more sense of the world today. Fascinating stories from contributors are the leading experts in their fields, so whether they're exploring Ancient Egypt, Tudor England or the Second World War, you'll be reading the latest, most thought-provoking historical research. BBC History Magazine brings history to life with informative, lively and entertaining features written by the world's leading historians and journalists and is a captivating read for anyone who's interested in the past.

WELCOME OCTOBER 2024

THREE THINGS I'VE LEARNED THIS MONTH

THIS ISSUE'S CONTRIBUTORS

ANNIVERSARIES • DANNY BIRD highlights events that took place in October in history

A history of political violence • Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July, Matt Elton spoke to historian ADAM IP SMITH about the history of violent attacks on US leaders, and the political and social repercussions of such assaults across the decades

MICHAEL WOOD ON… • GAZA'S ASTONISHING CULTURAL HERITAGE

HIDDEN HISTORIES • KAVITA PURI on a little-known but pivotal moment in Spanish history

Warrior women

BBC History Magazine

HENRY V A BRUTAL YOUTH • Held hostage at 12. Deciding the fate of captives at 14. Maimed in battle at 16. The future King Henry V learned a series of violent but valuable leadership lessons. Dan Jones traces the evolution of ‘Prince Hal’ into a medieval warrior monarch

APPRENTICE PRINCES • Henry V was far from the first – or last – royal heir to learn the family trade during a turbulent youth

Reading the Runes • Mysterious characters inscribed on stone, wood and bone reveal little-known aspects of everyday Viking life. Eleanor Barraclough deciphers runes that recount tales of love, lust, travel and tragedy from a millennium ago

What drives our addiction to war? • Conflict has been a constant of the human experience for millennia. The question that continues to trouble historians is: why?

Q&A • A selection of historical conundrums answered by experts

HOW WE FOUND OUR BEARINGS • Why did the ancient Chinese associate north with power? And what led early Muslims to pray to the south? Jerry Brotton takes us on a journey through the history of the four points of the compass

Tales from the toilet • From Roman latrines to medieval communal privies and modern flushing systems, the toilet has transformed over the past two millennia. David Musgrove explores four different aspects of our changing toilet habits

Harry Grindell Matthews A strangely inventive mind • In the febrile interwar years, one inventor's claims of having designed a ‘Death Ray’ sparked a sensation among authorities and investors alike. EUGENE BYRNE explores the life of a man who was both a genius and a grifter

PIGS IN THE MEDIEVAL CITY • They killed children, exhumed dead bodies and caused an almighty stink. So why, asks Dolly Jørgensen, were our ancestors so dependent on the urban pig?

“The complexity of modern national politics has placed history at risk” • ROBERT BARTLETT speaks to Emily Briffett about the large-scale destruction of medieval manuscripts – and how such losses affect our ability to understand the Middle Ages

Aesthetic endeavours • FREYA GOWRLEY is impressed by a detailed, thought-provoking work exploring the methods and social context of women's attempts to achieve ‘beauty’

Stitches in time • Deputy editor Matt Elton picks three episodes of the HistoryExtra podcast on fashion and style

How to live your best life – the medieval way • PETER FRANKOPAN is inspired by a clear-eyed examination of attitudes and ideas from the Middle Ages that can offer guidance for sustainable...