Offa of Mercia was a powerful English king. And, as James Turner argues, he was also a monarch with enough importance in Western Europe to be of interest to his contemporary, Charlemagne. Around 789, the Frankish king Charlemagne wrote to King Offa of Mercia to propose a marriage between his eldest son, … Continue Reading
Features
Forever Amber, scandalous historical fiction that lasts… for ever
To mark the publication of a new edition of Kathleen Winsor's scandalous historical novel, Forever Amber, the publisher Elizabeth Smith argues … Continue Reading
Three authors on how small discoveries had big impacts on their stories
Three writers of Roman historical fiction reveal how seemingly minor research discoveries inspired their stories. Sit any three historical … Continue Reading
Dismantling the misogynistic Marilyn Monroe myth
How does a historian challenge the 'misogynistic Monroe myth' of lateness, drinking, and emotional fragility? Not by denying it, says Lucy Jane … Continue Reading
Plantagenet princesses in the troubled late Middle Ages
How did the daughters of Plantagenet Kings of England deal with the tumults of the late Middle Ages? Sharon Bennett Connolly, historian and … Continue Reading
Interviews
Historia interview: Claire Hobson
On 29 May, Oak Apple Day, it'll be 396 years from Charles II's birth in 1630 and 366 since his restoration. To mark the occasion, Historia spoke to Claire Hobson, whose biography charts those 30 turbulent years that … Continue Reading
Historia interview: Carolyn O’Brien
Carolyn O’Brien’s new novel Rose & Renzo is set in 1930s Manchester and is deeply entwined with the radical politics of the time, the backdrop to a passionate coming-of-age story. Carolyn O’Brien talks to fellow … Continue Reading
Reviews
Review: Wuthering Heights – the film – and Catherine by Essie Fox
February, 2026 has given us the full Bronte with two retellings of Wuthering Heights. Kate Griffin, the author of several Gothic novels and lover of films set in the Victorian era, is the ideal person to review both … Continue Reading
Review: Samurai at the British Museum
Lesley Downer, author of The Shortest History of Japan, visits the Samurai exhibition at the British Museum and discovers that it's "an exhibition of treasures" which show that the samurai were patrons of the arts … Continue Reading