APRIL 2016

CONTENTS

Features

Every month

Earth-shattering: find out about history’s most notable earthquakes on page 54

22 The death of innocence Josephine Wilkinson explores the meteoric rise of Catherine Howard and her fatal fall from grace

26 The globe-trotting emperor Alison Cooley examines the boundless ambitions and exploits of Hadrian

32 How Rome ruled the world How did a small town in Italy come to dominate western Europe? Mary Beard o ers her explanation

40 Focus on Shakespeare Our expert panel looks at the life and impact of England’s best-known writer

46 Politics in Shakespeare Jerry Brotton considers how contemporary events shaped Shakespeare’s work

54 When London shook Andrew Robinson describes how a series of earthquakes rocked Georgian Britain

59 Edmund Ironside Sarah Foot appraises an Anglo-Saxon king who battled the Vikings

6 ANNIVERSARIES 11 HISTORY NOW 1 1 The latest history news

1 4 Backgrounder: Labour and Europe 1 6 Past notes: Easter eggs

18 LETTERS 21 MICHAEL WOOD’S VIEW 38 OUR FIRST WORLD WAR 65 BOOKS Thelatestreleases,plusClare

Jackson discusses Charles II

77 TV & RADIO The pick of new history programmes

80 OUT &ABOUT 80 History Explorer: the dissolution of the monasteries 85 Five things to do in April 86 My favourite place: Malta

99 MISCELLANY 99 Q&A and quiz 100 Samantha’s recipe corner 101 Prize crossword

106 MY HISTORY HERO FrancineStockchoosesthepoet Guillaume Apollinaire

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USPS Identification Statement

BBC HISTORY (ISSN 1469-8552)

(USPS 024-177) April 2016 is published 13 times a year under licence from BBC Worldwide by Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK. Distributed in the US by Circulation Specialists, Inc., 2 Corporate Drive, Suite 945, Shelton CT 06484-6238. Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, PO Box 37495, Boone, IA 50037-0495.

40 Tackling the big questions about Shakespeare’s eventful life

32 Mary Beard on the incredible rise of Rome

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