Rob Attar Editor
Because we know it happened, we accept the 1099 conquest of Jerusalem as a matter of fact, without perhaps thinking about what an improbable event this was. But it must have felt far less certain to the crusaders who had to traverse vast, treacherous terrains and face unknown and hostile populations. The First Crusade should not have succeeded. And yet it did.
For this month’s cover feature, on page 48, Emily Briffett has spoken to a group of expert historians to explain this unlikely triumph. Alongside that they also explore the consequences of the crusade. For the people the crusaders encountered, the expedition often meant death and misery. And even for the victors, the capture of Jerusalem committed them to centuries more warfare in the Middle East before their grip was finally relinquished.
Elsewhere this month, we’re marking the centenary of two very different events. On 8 November 1923, Adolf Hitler made his first attempt to seize power in Germany through the beer hall putsch. As Frank McDonough reveals (page 22), the coup ended in failure, but taught the Nazi leader lessons for his future path to supremacy.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, 1923 saw the birth of the Walt Disney company, a giant of global entertainment. On page 58 John Wills reveals how the corporation’s story has reflected and shaped American history over the decades.
I hope you enjoy the issue.
THREE THINGS I’VE LEARNED THIS MONTH
1. Latrine of crime
An interesting detail in our Explore piece on Agatha Christie’s holiday home in Devon is that the Queen of Crime often took a mahogany toilet seat with her on her travels in the Middle East with her archaeologist husband (page 84).
2. The mog of war
Cats can often be skilled hunters, but I was surprised to see that they were once employed on the battlefield in a clash between Persians and Egyptians 2,500 years ago.
Find out more on page 82.
3. Reading at Reading
Rosalind Crone’s article on 19th-century prison education contained the fascinating fact that, thanks to programmes of literacy, Reading Gaol became known as ‘Read-Read-Reading Gaol’ (page 41).
THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS
Rana Mitter
“To understand China’s current attitude to espionage, we have to look at the revolutionary history of the Communist Party.”
Rana reveals the role surveillance culture has played in China in the 20th and 21st centuries on page 11
