Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write and Think about History, by Jim Cullen (2017)
A review of the third edition of Jim Cullen’s Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write, and Think about History.
AUTHOR: Victoria Bettney and others.
“The university historian doesn’t have to be the only gatekeeper of the truth of the past.”
The York Historian’s Paul Kerr meets PhD student, Michael Walkden.
The Christianization of Iceland was not straightforward. It was distinctly Icelandic, as this article explores.
AUTHOR: VANIA BUSO
The Glorious Revolution marked one of the greatest periods of political change within early modern Britain and Ireland. This article assesses the decisive Battle of the Boyne in securing the new dynasty, as well as its lasting historical significance.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY
From Chief of Staff of the IRA to shaking hands with the Queen of England, Martin McGuinness embodies the changes within Northern Irish Republicanism in the late twentieth century. This article looks at key periods in McGuinness’s life, 1950-2017.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY
The Devonshire MS is a collection of poetry; its significance lies in its authorship – historical women of import in the Henrician period. This article outlines how the folio changed hands and how it came to be.
AUTHOR: JESSICA AYRES
The Tudors were a defining dynasty and remain a popular topic in historical studies. This article instead follows the threads of the key Tudors that preceded the reigns of the Tudor monarchs.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
Historical television is on the rise, ‘The Crown’ is a superb example of how television can evoke a sense of national heritage. This article provides an introduction in considering ‘The Crown’ as a historical work.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN
Today, January 27th, is Holocaust Memorial Day. this article takes the opportunity to reflect on remembering the Holocaust, and what still needs to be done.
AUTHOR: SOPHIE TURBUTT
In early November, Professor Andrew Higson gave a talk at a screening of the film ‘The Battle of the Somme’. This article outlines the talk given, and discusses the film in that light.
AUTHOR: CATHERINE METCALFE
A whistle-stop tour of Heraldry offers us an improved, clarified understanding of its usage and shows some of the common misconceptions.
AUTHOR: AZAM CAESAR
Irish workers were seen to be lesser in the eyes of English planters. The Irish held a legal status above their slave peers whilst still sharing a commonality and practical status with them.
AUTHOR: ENYA HOLLAND
Northern Ireland’s political structure was dependent on the stability of its political climate and was largely shaped by its relations with Britain.
WRITTEN BY VICTORIA BETTNEY
10 years ago, the popular TV series Life on Mars ran. How authentically did it portray the 1970s?
AUTHOR: WILL LLOYD-REGAN
Henry VIII’s first son Henry Fitzroy has been sidelined in Tudor History. His story reveals a great deal about legitimacy, royal lineage and succession.
AUTHOR JESSICA AYRES
Should we take the negative reputation of infamous Henrician minister Edmund Dudley at face value? This article outlines his life and career in order to explore the realities of his representation.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN
The role of literacy, the rising middle class, and the decline of the Church were all factors in the Ancien Régime’s steady demise, this article shows.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
Scottish history is sorely neglected – British history often means anglo-centric or English history. This article charters out how Scottish history has been overlooked.
AUTHOR: EMILY DUNN
The British MP and admiral Thomas Cochrane has been somewhat overlooked in history. This article reconsiders his place in continental naval disputes, British history and the wider world.
AUTHOR: JATIN MAPARA
The Musée de Cluny in Paris is a rare example of a museum that strives to more authentically look back at the Medieval period.
AUTHOR: ELSA ROBINSON
An examination of Early Modern science and the practice of magic – how the two are more intertwined than it would seem.
AUTHOR: MARTHA BAILEY
A little Déjà vu? Four decades on and the same question lingers…
This article explores the similarities and discontinuity between the 1975 and 2016 Europe referendums.
AUTHOR WILL LLOYD-REGAN
This article considers the shifting dynamics of gender roles for Native American women during the cultural exchange with European colonialism.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
400 years after Shakespeare’s death, this article seeks to briefly layout the life of this revered, literary genius. AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
Analysing the causes for the decolonisation of the British Empire, this article finds that World War Two was a catalyst amongst a number of other coincidental factors.
AUTHOR: CLAIRE SWEETLAND
On this day, the Queen’s 90th birthday, this article looks back at the development of this national holiday.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN
The British Empire often conjures some terrible national memories. This article instead explores the positive, constructive impact of the Empire.
AUTHOR: JATIN MAPARA
A look back at the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. This article looks at which political players were involved and what their agendas were.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY
An exploration of Margaret Thatcher’s place in gender politics and feminism. Thatcher was unique as both a force for and against feminism.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY
Examining the lives of women in late medieval England, this article demonstrates that a patriarchal society didn’t necessarily mean that women were excluded from popular culture. AUTHOR: MARTHA BAILEY
Hampton Court Palace is the most famous of the Tudor dynasty. However, it was but one of a repertoire of many architectural marvels. This article explores the construction and use of other grand palaces used by the Tudors.
AUTHOR: JESS AYRES
An interesting review of Suzannah Libscomb’s “The King is Dead” book, published last year.
AUTHOR: MAISY SZABO
Robin Hood is no doubt a famous outlaw, with stories of him popular across the ages. This article explores the romantic imagery in ballads and tales about outlaws and their historical contexts, providing an insight into popular opinion and the fantasies of medieval townspeople,
AUTHOR: JESSICA HARRIS
To what extent are the slave hierarchies portrayed in the popular film, Django Unchained, realistic? Are representations historically accurate or merely dramatised?
AUTHOR: AILA BICER
Though she has a brief mention in history as the lover and eventual wife of John of Gaunt, who was Katherine Swynford? This piece studies her personal and political life, mapping out her rise in status.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
An insight into the life of Lady Jane Grey, a Tudor monarch who held the throne for nine days in 1553.
AUTHOR: EMILY DUNN
There is no doubt among historians that Martin Luther’s ’95 Theses’ document was central to the Reformation in the 16th century. This article explores the 95 theses in detail, analysing what they were, why they were written and their impact.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY
A contextualisation of Shakespeare’s play, Henry V, which allows for exploration of the portrayal of Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN
This interesting article discusses the ‘true’ nature of Marie Antoinette with insight from analyses of pamphlets.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
Elizabeth I is known as the Virgin Queen. This article surveys the potential reasons behind why she never married, a decision that caused the death of the Tudor dynasty.
AUTHOR: JESSICA AYRES
This piece questions historiographical opinions on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, and re-assesses his role in one of the most turbulent periods in South Asian history.
AUTHOR: ANEESA YASIN
This article examines the romanticised representations of Anne Boleyn portrayed by historians and artists centuries after her death, with particular focus on Victorian perspectives on her character and execution.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER
The problem of succession to the British throne has consistently reared its head throughout history. This article explores different situations where trouble ensued regarding claims to the throne – with some more legitimate than others.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN
Stalin established a cult of personality that ensured a secure foundation for his autocratic regime, but how did he do it?
AUTHOR: JULIA KENNY
The intriguing life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, a queen to be remembered. AUTHOR: JESSICA HARRIS-EDWARDS
This article explores the various mediums the Chinese Communist Party used to communicate state visions and messages during the Great Leap Forward under Mao Zedong.
AUTHOR: AILA BICER
A microcosmic study of the German town of Prichsenstadt followed by a deeper analysis into ways German history is studied today.
AUTHOR: CAITLIN BURGE