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HISTORY MATTERS
[The Real Magna Carta](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
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Less famous than its 1215 predecessor, the Magna Carta of 1225 held the true power.
Sean McGlynn
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
FEATURE
[The Firebombing of Tokyo](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
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American air raids on Japan’s capital burned the city in March 1945, killing 80,000 people in one night alone. ‘Had to be done,’ said the general who ordered it.
Richard Overy
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
GREAT DEBATES
[Pain Management before Anaesthetics](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
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Surgeons trying to eliminate pain eventually arrived at anaesthesia – but not before a contest with older, more unusual therapies. Why was mesmerism so magnetic?
Patricia Fara
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/pelayo-reluctant-visigoth-and-reconquista)
FEATURE
[Pelayo: the Reluctant Visigoth and the Reconquista](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/pelayo-reluctant-visigoth-and-reconquista)
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Pelayo, King of Asturias, is Spain’s first national hero, credited with beginning the Reconquista with his victory at the Battle of Covadonga. What do we really know about him?
Robert Portass
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
HISTORY MATTERS
[The Real Magna Carta](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less famous than its 1215 predecessor, the Magna Carta of 1225 held the true power.
Sean McGlynn
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
FEATURE
[The Firebombing of Tokyo](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American air raids on Japan’s capital burned the city in March 1945, killing 80,000 people in one night alone. ‘Had to be done,’ said the general who ordered it.
Richard Overy
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
GREAT DEBATES
[Pain Management before Anaesthetics](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surgeons trying to eliminate pain eventually arrived at anaesthesia – but not before a contest with older, more unusual therapies. Why was mesmerism so magnetic?
Patricia Fara
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/pelayo-reluctant-visigoth-and-reconquista)
FEATURE
[Pelayo: the Reluctant Visigoth and the Reconquista](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/pelayo-reluctant-visigoth-and-reconquista)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelayo, King of Asturias, is Spain’s first national hero, credited with beginning the Reconquista with his victory at the Battle of Covadonga. What do we really know about him?
Robert Portass
[](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
HISTORY MATTERS
[The Real Magna Carta](https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less famous than its 1215 predecessor, the Magna Carta of 1225 held the true power.
Sean McGlynn
Today’s featured articles
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* [](/archive/feature/restoring-faith-cretes-ancient-minoan-civilisation)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [Restoring Faith: Crete’s Ancient Minoan Civilisation](/archive/feature/restoring-faith-cretes-ancient-minoan-civilisation)
At the end of the 19th century, British antiquarian Arthur Evans sought to ‘re-enchant’ the world with his utopian interpretation of Crete’s ancient Minoan civilisation.
Cathy Gere
* [](/archive/head-head/what-was-impact-julius-caesars-murder)
[Head to Head](/archive/head-head)
### [What was the Impact of Julius Caesar’s Murder?](/archive/head-head/what-was-impact-julius-caesars-murder)
Julius Caesar was killed on 15 March 44 BC. We’ve heard about the ‘Ides of March’ – but what happened next?
History Today
* [](/archive/feature/england-and-portugal-friends-friends-enemies-enemies)
[Feature](/archive/feature)
### [England and Portugal: Friends to Friends, Enemies to Enemies](/archive/feature/england-and-portugal-friends-friends-enemies-enemies)
The Anglo-Portuguese alliance is the oldest of its kind. Concluded in June 1373, it has survived world wars, the rise and fall of empires and globalisation. How?
Jenny Benham
Most recent
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* [
](/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
[History Matters](/section/history-matters)
### [The Real Magna Carta](/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
Less famous than its 1215 predecessor, the Magna Carta of 1225 held the true power.
* [
](/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
[Great Debates](/site-sections/great-debates)
### [Pain Management before Anaesthetics](/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
Surgeons trying to eliminate pain eventually arrived at anaesthesia – but not before a contest with older, more unusual therapies. Why was mesmerism so magnetic?
* [
](/archive/review/land-promise-and-multicultural-britain-review)
[Review](/section/review)
### [‘This Land of Promise’ and ‘Multicultural Britain’ review](/archive/review/land-promise-and-multicultural-britain-review)
_This Land of Promise: A History of Refugees and Exiles in Britain_ by Matthew Lockwood and _Multicultural Britain: A People’s History_ by Kieran Connell foreground the castaways in our island story.
* [
](/archive/months-past/affair-sausages)
[Months Past](/archive/months-past)
### [The Affair of the Sausages](/archive/months-past/affair-sausages)
On 9 March 1522 the Swiss Reformation began with an ‘ostentatious eating of sausages.’
* [
](/archive/out-margins/wild-hunt-england)
[Out of the Margins](/archive/out-margins)
### [The Wild Hunt in England](/archive/out-margins/wild-hunt-england)
The monks of Peterborough told strange tales of the Wild Hunt. Were they ghostly apparitions or wishful thinking?
* [
](/archive/history-matters/pompeys-greatest-show-earth)
[History Matters](/section/history-matters)
### [Pompey’s Greatest Show on Earth](/archive/history-matters/pompeys-greatest-show-earth)
Rome’s first theatre was an enormous spectacle intended to glorify Pompey’s successes. Was it all bread and circuses?
* [
](/archive/months-past/maiden-flight-spitfire)
[Months Past](/archive/months-past)
### [Maiden Flight of the Spitfire](/archive/months-past/maiden-flight-spitfire)
On 5 March 1936 the prototype Spitfire made its maiden flight. Its creator R.J. Mitchell would not live to see its finest hour.
* [
](/archive/behind-times/nabataeans-are-coming)
[Behind the Times](/archive/behind-times)
### [The Nabataeans are Coming](/archive/behind-times/nabataeans-are-coming)
Pre-Islamic history was once taboo in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Will the ‘rediscovery’ of an ancient people – the Nabataeans – encourage international tourism?
[More Articles](/latest)
Current issue
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### **In the March issue:**
The Great Peasants’ War, the firebombing of Tokyo, Pelayo and the Reconquista, delivering the Chinese Post Office, curbing the power of the popes, and more.
Plus: reviews, opinion, crossword and much more!
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Popular Articles
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[](/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
##### [Pain Management before Anaesthetics](/archive/great-debates/pain-management-anaesthetics)
[](/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
##### [The Real Magna Carta](/archive/history-matters/real-magna-carta)
[](/archive/feature/restoring-faith-cretes-ancient-minoan-civilisation)
##### [Restoring Faith: Crete’s Ancient Minoan Civilisation](/archive/feature/restoring-faith-cretes-ancient-minoan-civilisation)
[](/archive/feature/england-and-portugal-friends-friends-enemies-enemies)
##### [England and Portugal: Friends to Friends, Enemies to Enemies](/archive/feature/england-and-portugal-friends-friends-enemies-enemies)
[](/archive/months-past/affair-sausages)
##### [The Affair of the Sausages](/archive/months-past/affair-sausages)
[](/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
##### [The Firebombing of Tokyo](/archive/feature/firebombing-tokyo)
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Peasants’ War, Reconquista, Tokyo Firebombing
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