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 MARCH 2024

THREE THINGS I’VE LEARNED THIS MONTH

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

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

Campaigner. Iconoclast. Absent friend. LGBTQ people who changed the world • February sees the UK celebrate the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people throughout history. To mark the occasion, MATT ELTON asked a panel of experts to each nominate an individual they believe deserves to be more fully recognised

MICHAEL WOOD ON… • THE BANGLADESH LIBERATION WAR

HIDDEN HISTORIES • KAVITA PURI on the legacy of Canada’s residential schools

Humanitarian hero

BBC History Magazine

SISTERS AT WAR • By the end of her reign, Mary I’s relationship with her half-sister and successor, Elizabeth, was at an all-time low. But had the Tudor siblings always been such bitter enemies? Nicola Tallis reveals how the duo’s bond was both broken and strengthened by events beyond their control

SIBLING RIVALRY • How Henry VIII’s longed-for male heir, Prince Edward, changed the family dynamic

HISTORY CELEBRATED • From a selection of manor houses rich in heritage to exclusive weekends with renowned historians, you’ll find your perfect getaway with Warner Hotels

THE GREAT WHEELBARROW CRAZE • In 1886, the nation was gripped by a bizarre trend that saw plucky Britons racing wheelbarrows across the country. David Musgrove takes up this strange-but-true story

FIVE THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT… The Vikings • Ryan Lavelle, who is teaching our new HistoryExtra Academy course, shares five surprising facts about the raiders, pirates and traders from medieval Scandinavia

KNIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! • From the heroic glamour of Henry V to the heady nationalism of Braveheart, the medieval era has proven a rich source of material for film directors. Robert Bartlett charts Hollywood’s long obsession with the Middle Ages

CHESS, PLAGUES AND ‘WATERY TARTS’ • Five landmark films depicting the Middle Ages

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

DID YOU KNOW…?

WHO SHOT JFK? WAS ELIZABETH I A MAN? DID ALIENS LAND AT ROSWELL? • Rob Attar investigates the enduring power of conspiracy theories

“People began collapsing in the streets and dying on the pavements” • In 1943, a devastating famine claimed the lives of millions of people in the Indian province of Bengal. Kavita Puri (left) tells us why she’s keen to ensure that the stories of those who endured the crisis are not forgotten

THE ANCIENT WORLD’S GREATEST CITY • When Alexander the Great founded a settlement at the junction of three continents in 331 BC, he created a metropolitan powerhouse that would shape global history. Islam Issa hails the genius of ancient Alexandria

SEVEN WONDERS OF ALEXANDRIA • The landmarks that helped make the city a masterpiece of the ancient world

“There was a general perception that Queen Victoria’s mourning was neither normal nor acceptable” • JUDITH FLANDERS talks to Rebecca Franks about her new book, which delves into the customs surrounding dying, death and mourning in Victorian Britain

A window onto England’s...