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SEPTEMBER 2019
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The fate of the princes in the Tower is one of the greatest historical mysteries, and the debate often centres around who was behind the boys’ murder. But what if, in fact, they were not murdered at all? That is the view of historian Matthew Lewis, and in this month’s cover feature, on page 42, he argues his case against fellow expert Nathen Amin in a quest to determine whether or not the princes survived.
While we were making this issue, the streets around us – as in many other British cities – were disrupted by protesters from Extinction Rebellion. Though their tactics seem to divide opinion, it’s clear that the environment is only going to become a more urgent issue in the years to come. Yet green activism is not a new phenomenon, and in Behind the News on page 10, Karen R Jones traces i ts roots in Britain back to the poetry of Wordsworth. Meanwhile, on page 17, Andrea Wulf argues that the 18th-century German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt might offer a helpful view on the environmental crisis.
Finally, this month is due to see the return of one of my favourite historical dramas: Peaky Blinders. The BBC series is based on real gangsters who did cause havoc on the streets of Birmingham, albeit some years earlier than implied by the TV depiction. On page 34, Andrew Davies explores the world of the original peaky blinders, revealing, as is so often the case, that fact is just as fascinating as fiction.
Rob Attar Editor
THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS
I N O T T
/ J E N
/ A L A M Y
I M A G E S
/ G E T T Y
M U S E U M
I C E
P O L
I D L A N D S
MW E S T
Jerry Brotton I’ve spent 30 years writing about Ferdinand Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the globe, one of the most misunderstood of all the voyages of discovery. It has much to tell us about our current moment of globalisation. Jerry looks at how Magellan’s voyage changed the course of history on page 50
Emma Butcher PTSD caused by war is a current global issue. Recently, I’ve been reading historical accounts about how the world recognised and responded to war trauma when it had no name. Emma traces the changing attitudes to war veterans’ mental health on page 56
Brendan Simms Hitler wanted parity with the other great actors, principally the United States and the British empire, but felt that this desire was not reciprocated. Once he realised that, he had to try and carve out a more extensive role for Germany on the world stage. Brendan discusses his new biography of Hitler on page 70
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