People / Places
By Robert Wilde, About.com Guide to European History
For all the theoretical tools at the historian's disposal, it is perhaps simply stories of people which capture the popular imagination most, and modern countries into which history is most commonly divided.
European Leaders
Information and resources on Europe’s leaders, be they elected prime minister or hereditary monarch.
European Dictators
"Dictator" was once a term of office: in the Roman Republic a dictator was an official granted temporary and total power to deal with a crisis; Julius Caesar expanded this role to become dictator for life. In modern history, in countries like Germany, dictator took on a new meaning, someone holding authoritarian power with no input from a large electorate and no hereditary succession. Dictators dominate the history of twentieth century Europe.
Arts and Science
In amongst all the politics and wars, the culture and science can often be missed out. This is a shame, as European arts and science has flourished for centuries and produced many great works of art and discoveries.
European Criminals
While the definition of "criminal" has varied greatly across Europe's history, some people are remembered chiefly for deeds which would be considered wrong in almost any era.
Religious Figures
Faith has played a huge role in the lives of Europeans for many centuries, although the last two millennia have been dominated by the Christian religion. This isn’t to say that Judaism, Islam and "pagan" religions haven’t played an important role.
Peoples of Europe
Resources on the peoples - some might say "races" - of Europe, including those lost to the past (e.g. Normans) and those frequently in the news (e.g. Basques).
Country Histories
It may not be perfect, but dividing the history of Europe down into the history of our modern countries is both popular and handy for students of the central middle ages and later.
