Category Archives: History in the Media

Anne Boleyn in Film

Anne Boleyn, and the Tudor English society that she lived in, continues to fascinate filmmakers and cinema audiences worldwide. Anne was a key character in many historical films during the golden age of Hollywood. Films and television series on the … Continue reading

Posted in Early Modern Europe, European History, European Wars of Religion, Historical Film, History in the Media, Noble Culture and History of Elites, Renaissance Art and History, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

Swiss Guard Saved Rome

The legendary Swiss Guard of the Vatican is in the news today on the anniversary of the Sack of Rome of 1527. NPR reports on the swearing in ceremonies of the Swiss Guard in Rome today. Northern Illinois University students … Continue reading

Posted in Early Modern Europe, European History, European Wars of Religion, History in the Media, Mediterranean World, Mercenaries, Renaissance Art and History, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Bernard Lewis Claims to Have Opposed Iraq War

Bernard Lewis, Professor Emeritus of History at Princeton University, is one of the most controversial figures in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean history. Lewis is known for his many books on Middle Eastern history, but also for his influential formulation of … Continue reading

Posted in History in the Media, Mediterranean World, Political Culture, Strategy and International Politics, Terrorism, War, Culture, and Society | 1 Comment

French Elections and the Weight of History

French people are used to having their politicians make historical references in their campaign speeches and policy statements. As the French head to the polls, the weight of French history is again shaping the presidential campaigns. The BBC reports on … Continue reading

Posted in European Union, French History, History in the Media, Political Culture | Leave a comment

Film and Fiction for French Historians

The new e-issue of Film and Fiction for French Historians is now out at a new website on the H-France platform. Historians of French history and scholars interested in historical filmmaking should find this website useful in their research and … Continue reading

Posted in Current Research, Early Modern Europe, French History, Historical Film, History in the Media, Noble Culture and History of Elites, War in Film, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Napoléon Restored (in Film)

Abel Gance’s epic silent film Napoléon (1927) utilized a number of innovative filmmaking techniques and it has since become a classic work in the linked genres of historical film and war film. A new restored version of the film is … Continue reading

Posted in Comparative Revolutions, Early Modern Europe, French History, French Revolution and Napoleon, Historical Film, History in the Media, War in Film, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Act of Valor: Entertainment or Propaganda?

The new film, Act of Valor, depicts Navy SEALs in action against smugglers and terrorists. The film openly touts its active-duty SEALs who act as the protagonists in the film, alongside plenty of military hardware and vehicles. The filmmakers reportedly … Continue reading

Posted in Historical Film, History in the Media, Terrorism, War in Film, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Historical Films at the Oscars

Historical films are in the running for Oscars at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. Each year, films portraying historical subjects figure significantly in the Oscar nominations, but there seem to be an exceptionally large number of historical films this year. … Continue reading

Posted in Historical Film, History in the Media, War in Film | Leave a comment

Napoleonland

Ready for a Napoleonic theme park?  Here comes Napoleonland…. Yves Jago, a French politician in the Parti Radical, is proposing a project to build a historical theme park to celebrate the life and legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte.  The theme park … Continue reading

Posted in European History, European Union, French History, French Revolution and Napoleon, History in the Media, War, Culture, and Society | 1 Comment

Renaissance Art and Modern Banking

Italian Renaissance bankers arguably invented the concepts and tools of modern banking, including bills of exchange, letters of credit, deposit banking, branch banks, and double-entry bookkeeping. A recent exhibition on Money and Beauty: Bankers, Botticelli and the Bonfire of the Vanities … Continue reading

Posted in Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, European History, History in the Media, Noble Culture and History of Elites, Renaissance Art and History | Leave a comment