Topic

History

A collection of 335 issues

How a Line on a Map Gave Portugal an Empire: The Untold Story of the Treaty of Tordesillas

The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, often seen as a simple division of the world, was a diplomatic masterstroke for Portugal. By pushing a demarcation line westward, they outmaneuvered Spain to secure not only their African trade routes but also the vast, undiscovered riches of Brazil.

Inventing a Region: The Colonial Origins of the 'Middle East'

The term 'Middle East' isn't ancient; it's a 19th-century British invention. Popularized by US strategist Alfred Mahan in 1902, it replaced 'Near East' to define the strategic area between Egypt and India, framing a diverse region through a colonial, Eurocentric military lens.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: The Self-Taught Nun Who Challenged an Empire for Her Right to Think

Meet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, and scholar known as 'The Tenth Muse.' A self-taught genius in a man's world, she built a massive library and fiercely defended a woman's right to an intellectual life, leaving a legacy that still inspires today.

The 9th-Century Scholar Who Defined Mental Health and Pioneered Psychotherapy

Centuries before modern psychiatry, Persian polymath Abu Zayd al-Balkhi rejected supernatural causes for mental illness. He argued for a mind-body connection, classified disorders like depression and anxiety, and developed cognitive and behavioral therapies that rival modern techniques.

"That's Us, F*ckhead": The Day Steven Tyler Forgot He Was in Aerosmith

In 1984, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler heard a song on the radio and eagerly suggested the band cover it. Guitarist Joe Perry had to remind him, "That's us, f*ckhead." Tyler, in a haze of rock and roll excess, had completely forgotten their own 1975 ballad, "You See Me Crying."

Meet Margery Kempe: The Medieval Mystic Who Wrote the First Autobiography and Wept Her Way Through Europe

Margery Kempe, a 15th-century English mystic, defied convention by writing the first autobiography in English. A mother of 14, she was famous for her loud, public weeping, unauthorized preaching, and repeatedly facing down heresy charges during her extensive pilgrimages across Europe.

The Polish Spy Who Became a Nazi General: The Unbelievable Story of Kazimierz Leski

Kazimierz Leski, a Polish intelligence officer, adopted the disguise of a Wehrmacht general to travel across Nazi-occupied Europe. He completed over 25 missions, stealing vital military secrets and funneling intelligence to the Allies, all while never being caught by the Germans.

From the Urals to the Danube: The Surprising Siberian Roots of Finnish and Hungarian

Finnish and Hungarian are linguistic islands in Europe, unrelated to their neighbors. They belong to the Uralic family, with a common ancestor from Western Siberia thousands of years ago. While not mutually intelligible, they share grammar, structure, and ancient vocabulary.