The region stretching from eastern Europe and sweeping right across into Arabia and the north coast of Africa, was home to one of the most extraordinary empires in history: the Ottoman Empire. Along its routes flowed ideas, goods, disease and death. In existence for 600 years, it also saw the sweeping expansion of one of the most important religions in the world: Islam. Now it is taking centre stage in international politics, commerce and culture. It is shaping the modern world. Yet Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, has always been the gate between East and West, North and South. Standing as both an idea and a place, it has been the capital city of the Roman, Byzantian and Ottoman Empires. It has always looked West, as well as East. But in today’s world, after rebuttals from the EU, Istanbul is turning its face resolutely eastwards once again – which should be cause for deep concern for those living in Europe. In this fascinating discussion with Dan Snow, Cambridge University’s Dr Kate Fleet takes us on a tour of the hugely successful and long lasting empire, and questions how we should view its legacy in the modern era.
The Palace of Westminster is one of the world's most famous buildings: 'the mother of parliaments'. Since the days of Simon de Montfort parliaments having been meeting at this location in the heart of London. Though plagued by controversy and destruction over its long history the site's significa...
Toby Green has been fascinated by the history of West Africa for decades after he visited as a student and heard whispers of history that didn’t appear in text books. Years later he wrote ‘Fistful of Shells,’ a survey of West Africa and West-Central Africa before the slave trade, and the effect t...
What did Charles II do in the English Civil Wars? Why was he known as the merry monarch? When did things start to go wrong for Charles II? What happened during the Great Fire of London? How did Charles II die? Stuarts and Restoration London historian Rebecca Rideal answers some of the key questio...
