Articles from 2001

12/14/01 - Review: Racism in Europe 1870 - 2000 by Neil MacMaster
Whether you're interested in the past, the present, or the future, this is a vital piece of reading on an important, but vastly misunderstood, subject.

11/30/01 - Review: The Napoleonic Wars: The rise of the Emperor 1805 - 1807 and The empires fight back 1808 - 1812 by Todd Fisher
These two volumes mark an excellent addition to Osprey's Napoleonic material, and as introductions to the subject they are hard to match

11/16/01 - Review: The French Revolutionary Wars by Gregory Fremont-Barnes
A superb introduction to these often overlooked conflicts (but only an introduction).

10/12/01 - Spain 1516 - 22: 3. Rebellion and the Return of Charles
This third, and final, look at the troubled succession of Charles V, concludes with an examination of how his problems were finally overcome, as well as a discussion of the rebellious Germania.

09/14/01 - Spain 1516 - 22: 2. The Revolt of the Comuneros
This, the second part of our look at the Spanish succession of Charles V, focuses on the 'Revolt of the Comuneros' (1520 - 21), a massive urban rebellion in Castile.

09/14/01 - Spain 1516 - 22: 1. The Troubled Succession Of Charles V
The first in a multi-part feature explaining the problems faced, and partly caused, by the great European Emperor Charles V when he inherited the Spanish Empire. This section examines the succession itself.

08/31/01 - Holy Leagues of the 16th Century
Your Guide presents a series of short summaries covering the many holy leagues of the sixteenth century, including those of the Italian Wars and the anti-Ottoman coalitions.

08/03/01 - The Guillotine
This multi-part article looks at the guillotine, one of Europe's most bloody icons. Topics include the history of decapitation machines, the work of Doctors Guillotin and Louis, as well as the guillotines' adoption across France, its rise to infamy during the Terror, and its continued use in France until 1981.

07/06/01 - The Maginot Line
Created between 1919 and 1940, France's Maginot Line was a massive system of defences that became famous for failing to stop a German invasion. Your Guide examines the Maginot Line's creation, design and use, as well as some of the later discussions concerning the fortifications.

06/22/01 - Tadeusz Kosciuszko Part 2: Hero of Poland
In Part 2 of this feature, we examine the life of Kosciuszko after he returned to Europe, including the important roles he played in the struggle for Polish-Lithuanian independence.

06/08/01 - Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746 - 1817)
Tadeusz Kosciuszko played an important role in the rebellions of two, wholly separate, nations. In the first instalment of this two-part article, we examine his early life, and the role he played in the American War of Independence.

05/25/01 - The Other Reichs
It's well known that the Nazi's called their state the 'Third Reich', but what were the first and second? Your Guide examines the other reichs, and discusses how they relate.

05/11/01 - The Schmalkaldic League (1530/1 - 1547)
The Reformation caused newly Lutheran territories within the Holy Roman Empire to clash with their Catholic Emperor. These tensions produced the Schmalkaldic League, an alliance of princes and cities.

04/27/01 - The Oprichnina of Ivan IV (1565 - 72)
Ivan IV's oprichnina is frequently portrayed as some sort of hell, a time of mass torture and death overseen by sinister black-robed monks who fanatically obeyed their insane Tsar. The reality is slightly different.

04/13/01 - The Introduction and Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar
In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII introduced, what was in practice, a minor set of reforms to the Julian calendar. In doing so, he further divided the date keeping of modern Europe for over 300 years.

03/03/01 - A Corruption of European History - Buache's Map of 1739
Recent books have popularized the idea of an advanced ancient civilisation but, in places, these flawed works are undermining real Europeans achievements. Your Guide examines one case, the French cartographer Philippe Buache.

02/24/01 - Historical Material 1: Book Reviews
Reviews of academic books aren't just for potential buyers - they can be useful sources of information.

02/12/01 - The Creation of St. Petersburg
An important centre for science, art and industry, this great city was the Russian capital for over two hundred years, gaining the nickname 'The Venice of the North'. However, at the start of the eighteenth century, St. Petersburg did not exist.

More Features:
2003 Features
2002 Features