European History

Ivan the Terrible built St. Basil's Cathedral after conquering Kazan and expanding the Russian empire.

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

After Italy declares war, the Allies fight the Axis powers in North Africa for control of the Mediterranean.

Robespierre's Reign of Terror reinvigorates the French Revolution but ends in as bloody a fashion as it began.

Did you know that Buckingham Palace has a helipad and a lake? Get the facts and history behind the Queen's official London residence.

The guillotine, the notorious killing machine of the French Revolution, was used to behead thousands, including King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. Why was it a humane form of execution for its time, and did victims' brains continue functioning after decapitation?

In a This Day in History video, learn that on July 8, 1960, United States pilot Gary Powers was charged with espionage by the Soviet Union. At the height of the Cold War, Powers was cruising over Russia in his U-2, a flying spy-plane, when shot down. The U.S. government tried to dismiss the charge, but Nikita Kruschef had the U-2 confirming that Powers was a spy. President Eisenhower was forced to publically justify the surveillance and Powers was sentenced to ten years in prison, but was swapped two years later for a high-ranking Soviet spy.

In this scene, Winston Churchill becomes Great Britain's new prime minister.

From Vlad the Impaler to Genghis Khan, the annals of history are filled with leaders who used fear and violence to achieve their goals. Learn about 10 of the most ruthless and cruel rulers of all time, in this episode of History Countdown.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning modern monarch in British history, redefined what it meant to be a monarch and navigated a tremendous amount of change within her family, country and world.

On Coronation Day, a glittering spectacle in London is witnesses by millions. Through the gates of Buckingham Palace rolls the ornate golden coach of state carrying a beautiful and radiant girl of twenty-seven years to her coronation.

Get the facts about Russian President Vladimir Putin and his rise to power.

Celtic queen Boudica avenges her brutal humiliation at the hands of the Romans with a merciless campaign of fire and blood in this web exclusive.

The Protestant Reformation encourages both religious and scientific thought.

Is the legend of Robin Hood and his merry men just a myth, or did the outlaw of Nottingham really exist?

How and why did prehistoric man build the massive stone structures?

When Napoleon invades Russia in 1812, an unexpected adversary brings ruin to his troops.

During World War II, a secret network of tunnels was built under London to keep Churchill's communications lines intact.

Take a look at the life of one of the most celebrated authors of all time, legendary wordsmith William Shakespeare, in this video.

The remote island of St. Helena becomes a prison for the once powerful Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon's unique genius for strategy allows him to outmaneuver Russian and Austrian forces marching across Europe to confront his troops.

Did the Romanovs survive? Get the full story.

Napoleon's battlefield strategy at Austerlitz results in one of his greatest victories.

Napoleon's death in exile on St. Helena is an event surrounded by accusations of conspiracy.

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.

In 2016, England voted to leave the European Union. The news shocked the world, but the split was actually a long time coming. Here's why.

In the wake of the French Revolution, a young Napoleon Bonaparte begins a meteoric rise to power.

As the Soviet Union fell, Russia embraced capitalism. But Russia's definition of a "free market" doesn't exactly align with other parts of the globe.

Why do royal marriages fascinate us? Sometimes it's the fairytale romance, other times the pomp and circumstance. In the case of these sacred unions - it was the scandal.

King Louis XVI and the French nobility face a revolution of the Third Estate.

Take a look at the life and impact of Adolf Hitler, who as leader of the Third Reich orchestrated the the death of 6 million Jews, in this video.

Learn about the life and political career of the UK's first female prime minister, "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher, in this video.

You know he had six wives, but there was a lot more to this famous king.

From Ireland's national symbol to its average beer consumption, get the facts on the Emerald Isle.

See why this device was a preferred form of legal execution.

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

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

In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the French government in a matter of days.