Political

An Ottoman Winter in Toulon

The unholy alliance between France and the Ottoman Empire in 1530 caused great concern but had little military success.

Gustav Vasa: The Father of Modern Sweden?

A bloody massacre in Stockholm’s city square set Sweden on a course for independence under the leadership of Gustav I Vasa. A master of the ethos of 16th-century monarchy, his legacy is complicated.

The ‘Experts’ from Afghanistan

Britain’s dearth of Afghan informants provided an opportunity for a disinherited Indian prince and his son to present themselves as an authentic conduit to the Muslim world. Soon they were advising the nation on subjects from geopolitics to the powers of the occult.