Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
© Antonio Borrillo, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
After King Edward the Confessor died childless, Europe’s princes stepped forward to claim the prize of England’s crown.
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From the twelfth-century Madrid manuscript of the History of John Skylitzes (?1040-?1101). Via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Harald Hardrada made sure that his fate was never out of his own hands.
© xlibber, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0 generic.
The editor of the country’s most famous newspaper had to use a little sleight-of-hand to bring journalism to the people.
© Andrzej Kuros, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Ethel Smyth encouraged writers to try to find their own words before deciding to borrow someone else’s.
© Phillip Capper, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0 generic.
A French sea-captain let his tongue wag over dinner, and New Zealand’s destiny took a different turn.
© Stephen McKay. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
Edmund Burke warned that the French Revolution could have a devastating effect on British and European culture.