Archaeologists Discover Tomb of Unknown Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh
The king’s mummy and sarcophagus are missing from the royal tomb, which is the second of its kind unearthed this year
The Real Story Behind ‘Wolf Hall’ and the Fall of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s Most Controversial Adviser
Based on Hilary Mantel’s novel “The Mirror & the Light,” the last installment in the acclaimed television series chronicles the last four years of the statesman’s life
The Ascension of William and Mary, Britain’s First Co-Monarchs, Marked a Victory for Protestantism
The equal rulers returned England to Protestant rule and began a new era of royal leadership defined by parliamentary oversight
One of Britain’s Most Beloved Royal Couples Wed on This Day in 1840
Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert popularized white wedding dresses. Later, her mourning of his passing cemented the image of a grieving widow in black
This Tragic European Monarch Was Executed for Treason on Her Cousin’s Orders
Elizabeth I ordered the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic claimant to the English throne, on this day in 1587
Medieval Crowns and Scepters Discovered Hidden Inside the Walls of a Crypt Beneath a Lithuanian Cathedral
The royal treasures were stashed away at the beginning of World War II. Experts knew the trove existed, but previous attempts to find it had failed
Seventy-Seven Fascinating Finds Revealed in 2024, From a Mysterious ‘Anomaly’ Near the Great Pyramid of Giza to a Missing Portrait of Henry VIII
The year’s most exciting discoveries included musket balls fired in the early days of the American Revolution, a lost composition by Mozart and a medieval chess piece
When a British King Stunned the Royal Family by Abdicating the Throne to Marry a Divorced American Socialite
Scandal dogged Edward VIII, a suspected Nazi sympathizer, even after he relinquished his crown to marry Wallis Simpson, the woman he loved
How a Tale of Demonic Possession Predicted the Decline of an Early Medieval Empire
A new book examines the rise and fall of the Carolingian dynasty, discussing how people across social classes understood the momentous history of their day
Listen to the Resurrected Voice of Richard III—Who Speaks With an Unexpected Accent
A team of experts has created a digital avatar of the maligned monarch, who speaks with a Yorkshire accent. The 15th-century king was born in Northampton, but he spent much of his life in northern England
How an Engraving of Queen Victoria Ushered in the Era of the Bouquet Holder in England
The monarch set fashion trends during her time, and the flower holder became a sought-after accessory in Victorian society
American Colonists Minted This Humble Silver Coin in 1652. It Just Sold for $2.52 Million
Settlers in Massachusetts needed cash, but England wouldn’t send any. So, they created their own mint in Boston and began making coins
An Astonishing Trove of Coins Dating to the Norman Conquest Just Became the Most Valuable Treasure Ever Found in Britain
The so-called Chew Valley Hoard, which just sold for a record $5.6 million, includes 2,584 coins featuring the likenesses of Harold II, William the Conqueror and Edward the Confessor
![Medieval women’s lives were “more vibrant than people expect,” says lead curator Eleanor Jackson, “and [visitors] will be surprised by the sheer variety of roles” that they occupied in the fields of politics, religion and the arts.](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/2NPqh-qxttl7xzrvlDT0LrJKmMs=/450x300/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/5a/f9/5af9fe6d-db74-4a76-9c5a-6be01eb636d1/lead-image.jpg)
These Rare Artifacts Tell Medieval Women’s Stories in Their Own Words
A new exhibition at the British Library explores the public, private and spiritual lives of such figures as Joan of Arc, Christine de Pizan and Hildegard of Bingen
To Strike Fear Into Napoleon’s Occupying Army, These Retreating Soldiers Burned Down Their Own City
When the blaze in Moscow subsided on September 18, 1812, the French—who had traveled hundreds of miles into Russia—were left without vital resources as a brutal winter approached
How William Wallace of ‘Braveheart’ Fame Defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge
On September 11, 1297, the warrior vanquished the superior armies of Edward I, cementing his status as one of Scotland’s most iconic heroes
A Century Ago, a Mob Brutally Attacked an American Diplomat in Persia. His Death Shaped U.S.-Iran Relations for Decades
The July 1924 killing of Robert Imbrie fueled the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty and set the stage for both a CIA-backed 1953 coup and the 1979 Iran hostage crisis
Discover the Hidden History of Tomb Robbing in Ancient Egypt
Criminals plundered the riches of Egyptian pyramids and underground burials, often within a few years or, in some cases, within a few hours of occupants’ interment
Newly Deciphered, 4,000-Year-Old Cuneiform Tablets Used Lunar Eclipses to Predict Major Events
Ancient Babylonians linked astronomical phenomena to pestilence, the death of kings and the destruction of empires
Art Historian Discovers Long-Lost Portrait of Henry VIII in Background of Social Media Post
Commissioned by a wealthy tapestry maker in the 1590s, the Tudor king’s likeness features a distinctive frame with a rounded top
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