The Spanish Empire stands as one of the most magnificent empires in the history of the world. It unfurled its might across multiple continents, conquered all who stood in its way, and left an indelible impact on cultures around the globe. For over four centuries, its dominance remained unchallenged, casting a vast shadow across Europe and beyond.

You probably have heard of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. But how much do you really know about it? The ancient world was home to some of the greatest civilizations in history. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Babylonians, and others wanted to leave their mark on history so others would remember their greatness. Most people can list a few of the wonders of the top of their head. But few know that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon might never have existed or that the remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus were used by the Knights Hospitaller.

London was a tinderbox waiting to ignite. An unusually hot and dry summer had drained the city’s water supplies, and without an organized firefighting force, its citizens were left to fend for themselves. The stage was set for catastrophe, and in the early hours of Sunday, September 2, 1666, the spark was struck. A seemingly inconsequential fire ignited in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane. Unchecked and underestimated, it would grow to become one of the most devastating disasters London had ever faced.

Oskar Schindler was an unexpected hero. He drank heavily, and some even said he was a womanizer who flaunted his affairs. Yet, in one of history’s darkest hours, he demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for courage and humanity.

The cave dwellers of the Stone Age were brutish and primitive compared to the human civilizations that would follow. Their technological developments were limited, and their society and culture provided few lasting legacies. Until surprisingly recently, this was the general view of the period of prehistory known as the Stone Age, an age that lasted for over 2 million years and ended only around 5,000 years ago.

Discover the Cradle of Intellectual Thought: From the mystical valleys of the Indus to the imperial courts of Japan, "Eastern Civilization" unravels the vibrant histories of India, China, and Japan. This captivating guide is your window into the ancient worlds that shaped modern thought.

As Russian forces closed in on Berlin and Hitler’s premiership drew to a close, many Nazi officials fled Germany. In this startling, meticulously researched account, acclaimed journalist Uki Goñi unravels the complex network that led them to Argentina. Relying on international support—in Scandinavia, Switzerland, and Italy—and the enthusiasm of the Vatican and President Juan Perón, Goñi shows how this ratline allowed Adolf Eichmann—the architect of the Final Solution—Josef Mengele, Eric Priebke, and many more, into the country.

It is difficult to know the Sea People intimately because the records on them aren’t very comprehensive. But we set out to explore the many questions people have about this mysterious civilization. Who were they? Where did they come from? Did they do more than simply pillage, and what impact did they have on society and commerce? Would you be shocked to learn that these mysterious people were more than a band of pirates?

Kosovo is a tiny land-locked nation located in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula in Eastern Europe. Before the 1990s, few people outside the immediate area had ever even heard of Kosovo. Then, in 1998, war began, and Kosovo moved to the center of the international stage.

If you’ve ever been curious about ancient Rome and the time of Caesar, but felt overwhelmed by the information available, this handy biography of Julius Caesar’s life might just be what you’ve been looking for.

Almost half a millennium later, in 224 CE, a new Persian dynasty, the House of Sasan, challenged the waning power of the Parthian Empire, restoring the Persians to dominance. Emperors in the ancient world lived an exalted but often precarious existence, and this was true for the monarchs, or shahs, as they were known, of the Sasanian Empire. Some of the Sasanian shahs were mighty leaders, adept in battle and in governance, but that was no protection against the threat of assassination.

One of Hitler’s most notorious henchmen, Hermann Göring was the bulldog who obediently followed orders while destroying countless lives. In his early career as the leader of the SA, also known as the Brownshirts or Stormtroopers, Göring played a pivotal role in suppressing any and all opposition to the Nazi Party. He was also implicated in the Reichstag Fire of 1933, an event that resulted in the suspension of civil liberties in Germany and greatly aided in the consolidation of Nazi control.

In the early hours of June 17, police were called to the massive Watergate Hotel and Office Complex in Washington, DC. On the sixth floor, in the offices where McGovern’s campaign was being planned and controlled, they discovered and arrested five burglars. This event wasn’t immediately a major news story—in fact, many newspapers ignored it completely—but over the next two years, the attempted break-in at the Watergate complex would become the heart of the biggest political scandal ever to hit America and the direct cause of a constitutional crisis.

In the 1950s, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secretly planned, supported, and funded two coups: one in Guatemala and one in Iran. This was the height of the Cold War, and both deposed governments were suspected of leaning to the left and favoring closer ties with the Soviet Union, while the regimes that replaced them were more inclined to look favorably on the United States.

Ray Charles was a musical prodigy whose genius transcended genres. With deep roots in gospel, jazz, blues, and country, Charles crafted some of the twentieth century’s most innovative and enduring songs. Who hasn’t felt the deep pull of emotion from the soulful melodies of “Georgia on My Mind”? And who could resist the infectious rhythm of “Hit the Road Jack”? Whether he was delving into country music or any other style, he showcased that there were no boundaries for talent like his. He didn’t just adapt to genres; he transformed them, making them distinctly Ray Charles.