Mind-boggling historical facts

Your interesting feature about the role of medieval warhorses in shaping British history (August) reminded me of a subsequent occasion in which horsepower became a critical factor. In April 1660, with

WITH MORE MULTIPLE MURDERERS PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY ON THE PLANET, THE US HAS EARNED A BLOODY REPUTATION AS GROUND ZERO FOR SERIAL KILLERS

In short, yes: the Victorians did indeed think eating mummified remains pilfered from ancient Egyptian tombs was a good idea, although they did not come up with the idea themselves. The morbid practic

Thousands of workers stepping off their morning train has become an enduring image of the railway. But the custom of commuting has constantly evolved, as CHRISTIAN WOLMAR reports

On 1 September 1939, Post Office engineer Tommy Flowers found himself in Berlin to take part in a European conference about telephone systems. Germany invaded Poland the same day. Flowers and a fellow

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