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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Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images.

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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.

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European History

The Great Awakening was a religious revival in the English colonies of America that emphasized themes of sin and salvation and a personal approach to faith.

European History

Inside Stalin’s Plan to Hide Nuclear Subs Beneath Moscow

In 1953 Moscow, Joseph Stalin grows increasingly concerned about America's expanding nuclear arsenal, pushing to conceal a fleet of submarines worth billions inside a secret, nuclear-proof underground stronghold with a hidden gate.

European History

Rasputin's Dark Prophecies

From Renaissance-era predictors like Nostradamus, who wrote of the death of kings and the rise of evil, to 20th-century mystics like Rasputin, who foresaw the fall of a dynasty, were some predictions more than lucky guesses?

Hitler's 1942 decision to attack the city named after the Soviet leader proved devastating and fateful.

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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.

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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.

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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.

European History

Stonehenge Secrets: What Lies Beneath?

Most of the world's holiest places sit in plain sight, able to be seen and experienced. But there are some hidden deep underground.

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European History

Enlightenment

The introduction of the scientific method transformed society by using science and reason rather than political or religious dogma.

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European History

Darkness Lurks in the Paris Catacombs

Beneath the streets of Paris, France, are the bones of more than 6 million people in what's known as the Paris Catacombs.

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