The Great Fire of London (1666), which began on Pudding Lane, recently became the focus of an ITV drama. The city of London, made predominantly fromtimber buildings, burned for 3 days, leaving 70,000 of 80,000 inhabitants of London homeless.This series dramatizes some of the events that took place while London burned, however it becomes over-embellished Continue Reading
Christmas Markets
It’s that time of the year again. The nights are drawing in, the songs are playing on the radio, the trees are being decorated and Manchester’s infamous Christmas Markets are in town once again. A staple of the Mancunian festive calendar since 1999, the various stalls and bars always provide a way to get Continue Reading
European Monarchs: One Big Family?
In 1914, on the eve of the First World War, Europe was tense as the thought of the coming conflict occupied everyone’s minds, a conflict that to some appeared more like a family feud. Why? The monarchies of Europe were so interconnected through centuries of marriages that, despite being enemies through 5 years of war, Continue Reading
The Rajas of India
For centuries, regions of the Indian subcontinent were ruled with quasi-autonomy by kings known as Rajas. Though their roles and responsibilities invariably changed over time, they remained permanent fixtures of Indian society. After the establishment of the British Raj in 1858 however, India was officially subsumed into the British Empire, raising questions about the position Continue Reading
The Union Jack in Afghanistan
The end of 2014 closes another chapter in British military history as British and NATO troops withdraw from a conflict that became of the most controversial since The Vietnam War. In October 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 bombings committed by Al-Qaeda, troops from the United States and other NATO nations intervened in an Continue Reading