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FEATURE
[The African King at Edward VII’s Coronation](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/african-king-edward-viis-coronation)
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King Lewanika’s invitation to the coronation of Edward VII was intended to stabilise British relations with the Barotse nation. Instead, it exposed the cracks in the imperial veneer.
Jonathan M. Jackson
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
MISSING PIECES
[Bloody Mary and the Missing Heir](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
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A male heir might have saved Queen Mary’s reign, and changed the shape of global Catholicism for good.
Alexander Lee
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/african-king-edward-viis-coronation)
FEATURE
[The African King at Edward VII’s Coronation](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/african-king-edward-viis-coronation)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
King Lewanika’s invitation to the coronation of Edward VII was intended to stabilise British relations with the Barotse nation. Instead, it exposed the cracks in the imperial veneer.
Jonathan M. Jackson
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
MISSING PIECES
[Bloody Mary and the Missing Heir](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A male heir might have saved Queen Mary’s reign, and changed the shape of global Catholicism for good.
Alexander Lee
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/african-king-edward-viis-coronation)
FEATURE
[The African King at Edward VII’s Coronation](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/african-king-edward-viis-coronation)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
King Lewanika’s invitation to the coronation of Edward VII was intended to stabilise British relations with the Barotse nation. Instead, it exposed the cracks in the imperial veneer.
Jonathan M. Jackson
Today’s featured articles
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* [](/archive/feature/cold-war-and-olympics)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [The Cold War and the Olympics](/archive/feature/cold-war-and-olympics)
From the recognition of East Germany to the banishment of Taiwan and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, diplomatic disputes dogged the Olympics throughout the Cold War.
Christopher Hill
* [](/archive/feature/lettow-vorbeck-uncatchable-lizard)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [Lettow-Vorbeck: The Uncatchable Lizard?](/archive/feature/lettow-vorbeck-uncatchable-lizard)
The German First World War commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck has been described as the 20th century’s greatest guerrilla leader for his undefeated campaign in East Africa. Is the legend justified?
Dan Whitaker
* [](/archive/feature/what-killed-kennedy)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [What Killed Kennedy?](/archive/feature/what-killed-kennedy)
Was it the mob? A coup? Cuban dissidents? War hawks? Over 60 years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the theories are still debated. Do any of them hold up?
Hazem Kandil
Most recent
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* [
](/archive/feature/james-vi-and-i-spinning-english-succession)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [James VI and I: Spinning the English Succession](/archive/feature/james-vi-and-i-spinning-english-succession)
Eager to be first in line, the astute James VI of Scotland responded to the question of the English succession with a war of words.
* [
](/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
[Missing Pieces](/site-sections/missing-pieces)
### [Bloody Mary and the Missing Heir](/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
A male heir might have saved Queen Mary’s reign, and changed the shape of global Catholicism for good.
* [
](/archive/feature/britains-witnesses-buchenwald)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [Britain’s Witnesses to Buchenwald](/archive/feature/britains-witnesses-buchenwald)
In April 1945 ten British politicians flew to Germany tasked with investigating the ‘truth’ about Buchenwald concentration camp.
* [
](/archive/review/celts-modern-history-ian-stewart-review)
[Review](/section/review)
### [‘The Celts: A Modern History’ by Ian Stewart review](/archive/review/celts-modern-history-ian-stewart-review)
Historians may no longer talk of a single Celtic culture, but in _The Celts: A Modern History_ Ian Stewart crafts a unified history of a changing idea.
* [
](/archive/feature/brahmins-origins-indias-priestly-caste)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [Brahmins: The Origins of India’s Priestly Caste](/archive/feature/brahmins-origins-indias-priestly-caste)
In the first millennium BC the Brahmin class organised as a community and assumed responsibility for learning the sacred Vedas. What are the origins of India’s priestly caste?
* [
](/archive/review/soldiers-reward-and-matchmaking-and-marriage-market-review)
[Review](/section/review)
### [‘The Soldier’s Reward’ and ‘Matchmaking and the Marriage Market...’ review](/archive/review/soldiers-reward-and-matchmaking-and-marriage-market-review)
_The Soldier’s Reward: Love and War in the Age of the French Revolution and Napoleon_ by Jennifer Ngaire Heuer and _Matchmaking and the Marriage Market in Postrevolutionary France_ by Andrea Mansker reveal romance in a time of revolt.
* [
](/archive/feature/library-ashurbanipal)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [The Library of Ashurbanipal](/archive/feature/library-ashurbanipal)
When it was discovered in the 19th century, the Library of Ashurbanipal revealed an ancient Assyrian empire previously known only through myth.
* [
](/archive/interview/spot-annabel-teh-gallop)
[Interview](/archive/interview)
### [On the Spot: Annabel Teh Gallop](/archive/interview/spot-annabel-teh-gallop)
‘What historical topic have I changed my mind on? Orality. Historians search for ‘lost’ manuscripts which might never have existed.’
[More Articles](/latest)
Current issue
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### **In the April issue:**
The Library of Ashurbanipal, the African king at Edward VII’s coronation, the origins of India’s Brahmins, British witnesses to Buchenwald, spinning James I’s succession, and more.
Plus: reviews, opinion, crossword and much more!
You can [buy this issue](/shop/buy-current-issue) from our website, from newsstands across the UK, or read it as a digital edition via the [_History Today_](http://www.historytoday.com/app) App.
Popular Articles
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[](/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
##### [Bloody Mary and the Missing Heir](/archive/missing-pieces/bloody-mary-and-missing-heir)
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##### [Restoring Faith: Crete’s Ancient Minoan Civilisation](/archive/feature/restoring-faith-cretes-ancient-minoan-civilisation)
[](/archive/review/celts-modern-history-ian-stewart-review)
##### [‘The Celts: A Modern History’ by Ian Stewart review](/archive/review/celts-modern-history-ian-stewart-review)
[](/archive/feature/what-killed-kennedy)
##### [What Killed Kennedy?](/archive/feature/what-killed-kennedy)
[](/archive/review/soldiers-reward-and-matchmaking-and-marriage-market-review)
##### [‘The Soldier’s Reward’ and ‘Matchmaking and the Marriage Market...’ review](/archive/review/soldiers-reward-and-matchmaking-and-marriage-market-review)
[](/archive/interview/spot-annabel-teh-gallop)
##### [On the Spot: Annabel Teh Gallop](/archive/interview/spot-annabel-teh-gallop)
ALTERNATIVE HISTORIES
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Recent issues
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* ### [Volume 75 Issue 4 April 2025](/history-today-issues/volume-75-issue-4-april-2025)
Mesopotamia, Buchenwald, Brahmins
* ### [Volume 75 Issue 3 March 2025](/history-today-issues/volume-75-issue-3-march-2025)
Peasants’ War, Reconquista, Tokyo Firebombing
* ### [Volume 75 Issue 2 February 2025](/history-today-issues/volume-75-issue-2-february-2025)
Mamluks, Revolutionary America, Medieval Jews
* ### [Volume 75 Issue 1 January 2025](/history-today-issues/volume-75-issue-1-january-2025)
Kashmir, Leipzig Trials, Renaissance Prague
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