Editor Jonathan Gordon [email protected] Art Editor Thomas Parrett Features Editor Callum McKelvie Staff Writer Emily Staniforth Production Editor Rachel Terzian Editor in Chief Tim Williamson Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook Edoardo Albert

The fourth oldest bank in the world, the Bank of Finland was first established by Tsar Alexander I of Russia in 1811, predating Finland’s independence. Although it was originally based in the country’s old capital of Turku, the bank was moved to Hels

The origins of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48) are labyrinthine, complex and easily fill several books. Triggered by the death of Emperor Charles VI, it was essentially a conflict between two coalitions, each supporting a different poten

14 INSIDE FORT KNOX BULLION DEPOSITORY 16 ANATOMY OF A FLORENTINE BANKER 18 WOMEN ON MONEY 20 SURVIVING A FINANCIAL CRISIS■

Taking its name from the Turkish verb ‘dolmak’, meaning ‘to fill’ or ‘become full’, the dolma’s heritage reaches back further and wider than the Ottoman Empire from which we have some of the earliest recorded recipes. Covering everything from stuffed

The widespread use of photography during the 19th century was a significant advancement for the Victorians, providing them with a new, visual way to document and celebrate their lives. The artistic medium became a novel form of entertainment, and peo

In the early hours of the morning on 8 August 1963, a Royal Mail train travelling from Glasgow to London was stopped and ransacked by a group of 15 men. The robbers attacked the train’s driver and proceeded to steal £2.6 million (approximately £69 mi

Following the death of Stalin in 1953, sport had increasingly become an important pillar of the Soviet Union. Great effort had been made to re-engage with international sporting communities following years of self-imposed exile. In this context, the

Guy Ritchie’s entertaining WWII thriller throws light on Operation Postmaster Cert: TBC Director: Guy Ritchie Cast: Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson Released: Out now History is written by the victors, the saying goes, and that’s not incorr

Widely considered one of the most secretive and secure establishments in the world, the depository at Fort Knox was first constructed in 1936. At the time the US government was concerned that keeping the country’s gold reserves at their current locat

Floods, famine, pestilence. For the hard-pressed peasants of Yuan China, ruled over by the domineering descendants of the Mongol conquerors who had established themselves as overlords of the land, the series of natural calamities indicated one thing:

In 1972, Stanley Cohen published his monumental work Folk Devils and Moral Panics. The book is widely credited for defining the latter term, but just what is a ‘moral panic’? Well, chances are you will have lived through several, and may have even un

When people think of the Ottoman Empire, they often picture grand sultans and their viziers ruling over large swathes of land from their luxurious bases in what is now Istanbul. Of all these sultans, one springs to mind more than any other: Suleiman

One of the earliest forms of money is cowrie shells, belonging to molluscs. China is among the first countries to use the shells for trading, with cowries being plentiful in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are also widely used in Africa right int

It’s remarkable how much we continue to learn about the pyramids in Egypt. They’ve stood for thousands of years and been examined and combed over generation after generation, and yet we keep discovering new details about how they were built, who buil

Throughout history, monsters and mythical creatures have haunted the societies and cultures that created them. From hydras to Gorgons to cyborgs, the monsters humans have imagined reflect our worst fears and our darkest nightmares, and can tell us a

Director: Jon S Baird Starring: John C Reilly, Steve Coogan, Nina Arianda Country: UK Year: 2018 A bittersweet story of the twilight years of comedy duo Laurel & Hardy, but does it sacrifice the facts for the funnies? VERDICT: A heartwarming story of

One of the earliest examples of coinage in the world, knife money, takes its name from the unusual shape used for this unique currency. Knife money was largely created and used by merchants in China from the 5th to the 1st century BCE. Their shape an

If you go looking for the seven wonders of the ancient world today, you are in for a disappointment. You will search in vain to find more than a few scraps of them. The statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus can be found in museums around the gl

What is one of the earliest examples of a financial crisis? We’ve had financial crises since we’ve had markets. One of the best-known examples is the tulip bulb mania of 17th-century Amsterdam, a wild speculative investment bubble in tulips, which at

Featured on the 200 kwacha banknote since 2012, Rose Chibambo was a politician in the British Protectorate of Nyasaland before the state became independent Malawi in 1964. As a politician and activist she is credited with organising the women’s movem

Stuck in the power politics of the Great War, Italy was enthusiastic to join the German war effort following the defeat of France, believing it would significantly grow its African empire. This aim contradicted the German fanatical and pseudo-scienti

Shining a spotlight on a lost milestone for women’s football Cert: PG Director: Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine Released: Out now Service: BBC iPlayer/On Demand Today, women’s football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with internationa

William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-upon-Avon to parents John and Mary. His mother comes from an affluent landowning family and his father is a successful glove maker who holds several municipal offices, enabling William to attend the local gram

Why has the identity of William Shakespeare been a subject of historical debate? Shakespeare’s life in Stratford-upon-Avon is well documented and we know a lot about his life in London as a playwright, but the link between the two, although logical,

14 INSIDE THE GLOBE 16 ANATOMY OF TITANIA 18 SHAKESPEAREAN PATRONS 20 WHO WAS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE?■

On the morning of 15 July 1997, world-renowned fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot on the steps of his home in Miami Beach, Florida. His murderer was Andrew Cunanan, an American man who had already killed four other men during a spree. Versace w

This sounds like great fun. Held on the River Seine alongside the other swimming events at the Paris Olympics, swimmers had to complete 200 metres while overcoming three sets of obstacles. First they climbed over a pole, then scrambled over a line of

Throughout history, royalty have consolidated their power and displayed their status through portraiture. With the advent of photography in the 19th century, a new way of capturing the royal image was born and slowly began to replace painting and scu

Argentinian cuisine is known for its love of barbecued meat. The gauchos, a form of native cowboy, began the tradition of cooking meat over open fires in the 18th century. Choripán originated sometime later in the 20th century, through the influx of