HistoryExtra

What was the most important year in history? We asked nine experts - and this is what they said 🔒 This article is free for HistoryExtra members bit.ly/4saLgiN

When Maria of Modena, queen to King James II of England and VII of Scotland, gave birth, over 70 people watched it happen. So why did they still doubt that her baby was real? 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/4kbXepj

On the podcast | Barnaby Phillips traces the fate of the golden treasures plundered by British forces from the African kingdom of Asante 150 years ago bit.ly/4htubM5

#OnThisDay in 1811, Napoleon II was born in Tuileries Palace in Paris. The son of Napoleon Bonaparte and his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria, he was given the title of the King of Rome. 📸 Getty

From dance competitions to viral memes, these trends seem to be firmly rooted in the 21st century. But, there are also plenty of fads which are much older than you might expect 🔒 This article is free for HistoryExtra members bit.ly/4b6SmPg

Did the ancient Egyptians really love cats? While cats might have been sacred in ancient Egypt, they were far from cherished pets. Here's how they were really treated... 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/4rI93WP

Tharik Hussain reveals the long but often overlooked and distorted history of Muslims in Europe – and the enduring resistance to its reappraisal 🔒 This article is free for HistoryExtra members bit.ly/4boD0V4

Pliny the Elder was an intellectual powerhouse of ancient Rome. In describing the ideal daily routine of a Roman gentleman, Pliny's writings reveal how the ancient elite believed health could be improved 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/3OYE9LI

On the podcast | Barry Strauss discusses the devastating Jewish revolt against the Roman empire in the 1st century CE bit.ly/4htubM5

#OnThisDay in 1940, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler met in the Alps at the Brenner Pass. Here, they discussed Italy's participation in the war against France and Great Britain. 📸 Getty

Why do we still ban books? HistoryExtra's Isabel King explores the history of book censorship 🔒 This video is free for HistoryExtra members bit.ly/4blYPEF

Were medieval toilets filthy? Whether in castles or monasteries, toilets in the Middle Ages were more varied than you might expect 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/3NdNGOr

On the podcast | Gillian O'Brien takes us on a historical tour of Dublin's culture and conflict bit.ly/4htubM5 Explore other cities around the world in series five of 'History's Greatest Cities', all episodes available from 24 March.

#OnThisDay in 1921, Marie Stopes opened Britain's first family planning clinic, the Mothers' Clinic, in Holloway, north London. In 1925 the clinic moved to Whitfield Street in central London, where it remains to this day. 📸 Getty

In our politically unstable modern world, the allure of retreating into nostalgic memories of bygone eras seems to have grown. Six historians explore how this tendency impacts our historical understanding 🔒 This article is free for HistoryExtra members bit.ly/4sA5eTG

In the middle decades of the 19th century, Britain experienced rapid industrial change without suffering revolution or major conflict. How? 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/4ushfMT

On the podcast | Antony Beevor reveals how Rasputin helped to doom the Romanovs bit.ly/4htubM5

#OnThisDay in 1968, as many as 500 Vietnamese civilians were murdered by US troops at My Lai, South Vietnam. Lieutenant William Calley was the only participant to be convicted for the crime. 📸 Getty

Where was Britain's first refugee camp? Kavita Puri reveals a 300-year history of immigration bit.ly/4cs0tqH 🔒 This article is free for HistoryExtra members

What inspired the darkness of William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'? Here's the disturbing history behind the novel 🗝️ This article is free to read bit.ly/4srkF0v