Contents
JULY 2011
FEATURES
22 Traders and crusaders Thomas Asbridge explains how relations between medieval Christians and Muslims could often be cordial
32 The trouble with luxury Michael Scott explores the problematic nature of conspicuous wealth in ancient Greece
36 If King Alfred was great, was Æthelstan even greater? Sarah Foot considers the very different reputations of two Anglo-Saxon kings
43 The decline and fall of the British empire From the Festival of Britain to the Suez Crisis, Denis Judd charts the demise of the world’s largest empire
50 Images of empire Ashley Jackson and David Tomkins show how British imperialism was represented in visual form
56 Hitler’s secret weapon Joe Maiolo on the deadly rockets and flying bombs with which the Nazis hoped to devastate London
6
Contact us
PHONE Editorial 0117 314 7377 Subscriptions & back issues 0844 844 0250 Advertising 0117 314 8752
EMAIL Editorial historymagazine@ historyextra.com Subscriptions & back issues bbchistory@servicehelpline.co.uk
POST Editorial BBC History Magazine, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN Subscriptions & back issues BBC History Magazine, PO Box 279, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8DF.
In the US/Canada you can contact us at: PO Box 421133, Palm Coast, FL 32142 bbchistory@emailcustomerservice.com Toll free 800-342-3592
EVERY MONTH
8 Letters
10 Milestones: It happened in July
New s 14 Breaking news 17 News from the journals 18 World news in context: Syria
29 Big days in history by Dominic Sandbrook
35 Opinion by Amanda Vickery
55 Changing times by Chris Bowlby
61 Book reviews 10 new history books reviewed
75 TV&Radio What’s on in July
Out&About 78 Where history happened: Canals 84 100 Places that Made Britain: Dunfermline Abbey 86 Ten things to do this month 88 Ye olde travel guide: Constantinople in 976
Miscellany 93 Q&A: Your historical questions answered 96 Prize crossword: Win The Medieval World Complete 97 Puzzles
98 My history hero by James Holland
Subscribe 30
Free book when you subscribe today
EPHEMERA
INTED
PR
OF
ION
COLLECT
JOHNSON
IBRARY-JOHN
LIAN
IVE/BODLE
ARCH
IBRARY/ART
LART
IDGEMAN
IMAGES/ALAMY/BR
AKG
USPS Identification Statement BBC HISTORY (ISSN 1469-8552) (USPS 024-177) July 2011 is published 13 times a year by Bristol Magazines Ltd., 9th Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK. Distributed in the US by Evergreen Marketing, 116 Ram Cat Alley, Suite 201, Seneca, SC 29678-3263. Periodicals postage paid at Seneca, SC and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC HISTORY, PO Box 421133, Palm Coast, FL 32142-1133.
BBC History Magazine
