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

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY • NEWS COMMENT ANNIVERSARIES HIDDEN HISTORIES

Rewriting wrongs? • The ways in which historians reinterpret the past – and the dangers inherent in doing so – have proved a hot topic in recent months. ANNA WHITELOCK charts the latest developments

HISTORY IN THE NEWS • A selection of the stories hitting the history headlines

MICHAEL WOOD ON... • THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ÆTHELSTAN

ANNIVERSARIES • DOMINIC SANDBROOK highlights events that took place in February in history

WHY WE SHOULD REMEMBER... • The day Dolly the cloned sheep was presented to the world

HIDDEN HISTORIES • EMMA DABIRI explores lesser-known stories from our past

LETTERS

BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

Who is Britain’s greatest monarch? • This year marks the platinum jubilee of Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch. But which of the kings and queens since 1066 made the biggest mark on history? We asked 12 experts to offer their nominations – and to explain what made each one truly great

The king who founded modern Scotland • David I (reigned 1124-53) wielded military might and religious reform to forge some of the nation’s most enduring institutions

The empire-builder who rewrote the law • The dominion of Henry II (r1154-89) may not have lasted, but his influence endured for centuries

The pragmatist who unified Wales • Llywelyn ap lorwerth (died 1240) used power and politics to bring peace

The great stabiliser who bolstered royal authority • Edward IV (r1461-70 & 1471-83) was a natural leader who restored the monarchy’s waning power

The upstart who founded a dynasty • Henry VII (r1485-1509) ushered in a new era with ingenuity and ruthlessness

The cultural colossus who forged modern Britain • Henry VIII (r1509-47) was a polymath whose sweeping reforms are still felt today

An icon for the ages • Elizabeth I (r1558-1603) embraced both PR and pragmatism to triumph over prejudice

The Stuart intellectual who unified two warring nations • James VI & I (reigned Scotland 1567-1625, England 1603-25) employed learning to conjoin England with Scotland

Champion of the constitution • George III (r1760-1820) is often derided as a despot, yet his far-sighted political reforms remain in force today

The queen who defined an age • The long reign of Victoria (r1837–1901) saw her strengthen the monarchy and unify a turbulent Europe

The crisis manager • George V (r1910–36) faced catastrophes beyond his predecessors’ nightmares, but his brave choices allowed the monarchy to thrive

A constant in a changing age • Elizabeth II (reigning since 1952) may seem removed from the modern world – but it’s precisely from that distance that she derives her power

A national institution • As it approached its second decade, the BBC’s happy-go-lucky attitude was fading fast. And, as DAVID HENDY reveals in the second instalment of our 13-part series tracing the corporation’s cultural impact, the government was now taking a keen interest

IN FOCUS How the BBC’s Empire Service provided “a girdle around the Earth”

“WE HAVE UNDERESTIMATED THE RUSSIAN...