Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
Anonymous, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
John Mansur, working in Islamic Syria, thought he could safely criticise the Roman Emperor for meddling in Christian worship. But he was wrong.
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© Maverick.bukhari, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Emperor Akbar’s court physician told his nobles that beneath the waters of a lake was a dry, cosy room, and dared them to find a way in.
© Tim Green. 2.0.
Two monks vying for the abbot’s chair at one of England’s prestigious monasteries each promised King William Rufus handsome rewards for his favour.
Richard Caton Woodville, Jr. (1856–1927), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A witness appeared before a Calcutta court, only to find that judge and learned counsel were determined to discredit her.
By Thomas Rowlandson (1756–1827), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
When he left Calcutta in February 1799 for a tour of Europe, Abu Taleb Khan scarcely expected to spend so much of his time in England trying to keep out of the courts.
© Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Edmund Burke explained to the Duke of Bedford that in politics there is very great difference between change and reform.