European History
Explore the wars, battles, leaders, civilizations, regimes, prominent figures and major events from the continent that encompasses 2 percent of the Earth’s surface. From Stonehenge to the Great Awakening to the French Revolution to the rise and fall of Communism in Russia, discover how Europe’s often tumultuous history unfolded.
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The monarch’s chaotic love life led to an unstable succession, foreign policy changes and a break with Rome.
More than 35,000 volunteers from 52 countries poured into Spain to help fight fascist-backed Nationalists led by Francisco Franco.
These people played integral roles in the uprising that swept through France from 1789-1799.
The Soviet Union, founded in 1922 on Marxist-socialist principles, became one of the biggest and most powerful nations in the world—before its fall and dissolution in 1991.
Brutal Execution of the Romanovs
Brutal Execution of the Romanovs
The brutal violence of the Russian Revolution culminated in the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family, ending 300 years of Romanov rule over the Russian Empire.
3 Facts About British Royal History
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A fledgling spy network in Tudor England used kidnappings, codes and moles to ensure the Protestant Queen's longevity.
The poet placed his real-life enemies in the dark depths of the underworld.
Joseph Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953. Through terror, murder, brutality and mass imprisonment, he modernized the Soviet economy.
From colossal Prussians to delirious Vikings, find out more about seven of history’s most unconventional military outfits.
Even as millions of Nazi troops massed on his border, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin remained convinced that Adolf Hitler wouldn’t betray him.
The Kotze Affair stemmed from an infamous gathering by members of German aristocracy, revealed in a series of anonymous letters.
These scandals drew public fascination and scrutiny, compromising the mystique of monarchies across Europe.
Some abdicated for love—others did it for survival.
Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen for her refusal to marry, oversaw a period of artistic and military achievements during her reign as England's monarch.
Though the terms are often used interchangeably, socialism and communism differ in key ways.
The calendar, introduced in the 16th century, differs from the solar year by seconds.
