The rise and fall of the caliphate

There were 13 men: unlucky for someone. They were dressed to kill – but so was everyone else. In what was essentially an army camp, crammed with armed men, the assailants blended right in. Moving casu

The tiny Gulf state has become a major player on the world stage, working to resolve some of the most intractable conflicts. Is it driven by a genuine wish to promote peace – or is it simply pursuing its own interests? Nesrine Malik reports

Carthage burned for six days. After three long years of siege, in the spring of 146 BC Roman soldiers finally broke through the city’s defences and began to slaughter the population. But still the Car

Once a dominant force in the ancient world, Iran remains a critical player in the region and the target of influence and intervention by global superpowers

this story: Edgar Ætheling, Edward’s great-nephew. We know, of course, which one of these contenders held the crown in his possession at the end of the year. What is less certain is who was the most d

When gossip and rumour led to the trial of two Prussian pastors