BBC History UK Magazine - July 2023

In this issue

The greatest pharaoh?
Toby Wilkinson asks if Ramesses II was the most successful ruler of ancient Egypt – or just the most self-aggrandising.

The Tudor travel bug
Lauren Working and Emily Stevenson highlight six artefacts reflecting the English fascination with global exploration in the 16th century..

"Putin's misreading of history is a major contributing factor in how this war has progressed"

As the war in Ukraine continues to rage, with losses mounting ever higher on both sides, Matt Elton speaks to SERHII PLOKHY about his new book exploring the conflict’s historical origins and their consequences

4 mins

"The coronation felt like a watershed in our relationship with the crown"

SO THE CORONATION IS OVER, AND WE ENTER a new era for the monarchy and the nation

3 mins

"These men are a key part of our story. Their portrait should be seen"

WHEN THE RENOWNED ANGLO-HUNGARIAN painter Philip de László died in 1937, an unusual double portrait was found in his private collection

3 mins

THE GREATEST PHARAOH?

Ramesses II was a genius in the art of self-promotion. Epic palaces, jaw-dropping temples and sycophantic scribes all projected his brilliance. But, asks Toby Wilkinson, do the achievements of Egypt’s ‘king of kings’ truly justify the hype?

10+ mins

"Diseases such as smallpox were hugely contagious and apocalyptically terrifying"

For centuries, scientists have striven to combat a whole host of infectious diseases. Yet, as Simon Schama explains in his new book, they have often met with considerable opposition

10+ mins

THE ORIGINAL ROGUE HEROES

It's a story of extravagant lies, homemade bombs and adrenaline-pumped commandos. Joshua Levine charts the formative years of the SAS through the exploits of four extraordinary servicemen

10+ mins

The children's war on slavery

They boycotted sugar, signed petitions and played abolitionist board games. Ryan Hanley and Kathryn Gleadle introduce the young people who took a stand against the slave trade in Georgian Britain

9 mins

The forgotten history of Windrush

The famous voyage of the Empire Windrush from Jamaica to Britain 75 years ago was the product of a tumultuous century in Britain's relationship with the Caribbean. Christienna Fryar reveals how a region was transformed following emancipation

9 mins

"Caroline was besotted with Byron. But, ungrateful love rat that he was, he set off chasing others"

LADY ANTONIA FRASER talks to Ellie Cawthorne about her biography of Caroline Lamb, the rule-breaking aristocrat whose affair with the great romantic poet scandalised Georgian society

7 mins

Tale of the centuries

JOANN FLETCHER is engaged but occasionally frustrated by the third volume of a study of dynastic Egypt’s dramatic past

4 mins

Read all stories from BBC History UK

BBC History UK Magazine Description:

BBC History Magazine is Britain’s bestselling history magazine devoted to history enthusiasts of all levels of knowledge and interest. Published 13 times a year, BBC History Magazine brings history to life with informative, lively and entertaining features written by the world’s leading historians and journalists. Whether it is the history of our politics and institutions, or the fascinating stories of our private lives through the ages, BBC History Magazine sheds new light on the past and helps make more sense of today’s world.Covering the latest new developments in history and archaeology from Britain and around the world, the latest, most thought provoking historical research and strong links with TV and radio programming maximizing use of BBC’s existing expertise in the genre.