Mata Hari: spy or scapegoat?
The execution of the exotic dancer
The TUDOR KING ARTHUR + other lost monarchs
The real story of the
BROTHERS GRIMM
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e he th et In ide sid ins f of do ind min dm ed t te ist wis tw o M k’’ nk d on a M M ‘ d s a ’ M ‘ ia s s ’ s u R russia
Russian Revolution
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n i n t i u t p u s a R a R sp the Birth of Venice
Discover how the floating city mastered the Mediterranean
History of Filmmaking
Find out how to make a B-movie & the reel geniuses of cinema
“Make America Great Again”
The events that defined the unlikely politician Ronald Reagan
GreatDigitalMags.com
New Zealand Wars John Dee Constantinople Battle of Lepanto Timbuktu Ancient jewels Cowboy stunts
Digital Edition
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urder The gruesome m
Issue 049
e tsar’s trust How he gained th
of a dynasty His role in the fall
www.historyanswers.co.uk
years on
Find out how the Brothers Grimm saved the fairy tale on page 54
Welcome
“Russia’s greatest love machine,” went the Boney M hit song, Rasputin. In an uncanny coincidence, the band’s frontman Bobby Farrell died on the same date and in the same town as the ‘Mad Monk’ himself, back in 2010. Suffice to say, it was under very different circumstances. Poisoned, shot, beaten and drowned, Rasputin was murdered for meddling in imperial affairs. To the Russian people, he pulled the strings of the tsar and tsarina like a master puppeteer, having reportedly healed their only son and heir of his lifethreatening illness. But while the tsar was away during WWI, Rasputin’s relationship with his wife was called into question.
Editor’s picks Over the years, his story has become fodder for legend, movies and the aforementioned 1978 record, but what role did the holy man play in the fall of the Romanov dynasty? On the 100th anniversary of the February Revolution and the abdication of Nicholas II, we examine the man behind the mystic.
Be part of history
42
The Tudor King Arthur
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Death of Mata Hari
74
The birth of Venice
He was expected to become a legendary ruler like his ancestor, but death tore the crown from Prince Arthur. Discover his story, and seven other would-be monarchs. This year marks the centenary of her execution for espionage, but was she innocent? Uncover the truth about the exotic dancer who continues to captivate. Building an empire on sand and suspicion sounds absurd, but the Venetians’ vice-like grip on their ports and possessions made them the richest city in Europe.
Jodie Tyley Editor
www.historyanswers.co.uk
Share your views and opinions online
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@AboutHistoryMag
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CONTENTS
30
Welcome to All About History
n i t u p R as
30 Inside the twisted mind of the ‘Mad Monk’
16 Timeline
Filmmaking
Discover the major milestones that paved the way for modern cinema
18 Inside history
Take a tour of Georges Méliès’ pioneering silent movie studio
20 Anatomy of
The essential kit of an Old Western stunt performer
22 A day in the life
Find out what it’s like to be an independent filmmaker in the 70s
24 H ow to
84
Do you have what it takes to produce a low-budget B-movie?
26 5 amazing facts
Learn things you never knew about Hong Kong action films, from the 1920s to the present day
28 Hall of fame
Meet the masters of special effects that created ground-breaking scenes
features
42 T he Tudor King Arthur
Plus seven other lost monarchs
74 T he birth of Venice
Discover how the Venetians became masters of the Mediterranean and created a trading empire from their floating city
54 B rothers Grimm
The true story of the legendary fairy tale collectors
62 Mata Hari: spy or scapegoat?
84 R onald Reagan’s life in pictures
Uncover the love, lies and tragic life of the accused exotic dancer
4 Be part of history
The events and images that defined the unlikely politician’s time in the White House
www.historyanswers.co.uk
/AllAboutHistory
@AboutHistoryMag
Every issue
74
06 History in pictures
Four incredible photos with equally amazing stories
40 Time traveller’s handbook
42 82 What if
48 Hero or villain?
John Dee: mathematician, astronomer, spy? Get to know Queen Elizabeth I’s advisor
54
Find out what would have happened if Constantinople hadn’t fallen to the Turks
Your guide to getting by in Timbuktu in the 14th century
52 Through history
See how jewellery has been adding sparkle to outfits for centuries
60 Bluffer’s guide
The causes and consequences of the New Zealand Wars unveiled
68 Greatest battles
A blow-by-blow account of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571: the greatest naval battle of the Renaissance
89 H ow to make…
Rustle up some Maconochie’s stew – served in the trenches during WWI
90 Reviews
Our verdict on the latest reference books, novels and films
94 H istory answers Where did the terms left and rightwing come from? Experts answer your curious questions
06
98 History vs Hollywood
How accurate is Rasputin: Dark Servant Of Destiny’s depiction of the infamous ‘Mad Monk’?
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Page 72
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history In Pictures The grand lady of iron
On 5 May 1889, visitors flooded to the Exposition Universelle – a huge celebration of French culture. The main attraction was the newly built Eiffel Tower, which served as the entrance. As the lifts were still a work in progress, visitors had to walk to the second-floor platform. The event was held during the centenary of the storming of the Bastille, a defining moment at the start of the French Revolution.
1889
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7
© Getty
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Jumbo takes flight
The first commercial jumbo jet flight touched down at Heathrow Airport on 22 January 1970. The Boeing 747 was several hours late due to technical issues, but the 324 passengers, including Pan Am staff and FAA officials, were smiling and waving as they completed their flight from New York to London. The 747 was the largest aircraft until the Airbus A380 ‘Superjumbo’ took the title in 2004.
© Getty
1970
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history In Pictures Original Dixieland Jazz Band 26 February marks the 100th anniversary of the first-ever jazz recording. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) from New Orleans made their debut track in 1917 and though they didn’t invent the genre, they did much to popularise the craze. This photograph shows members of ODJB playing for a polar bear in the New York Zoo, as part of an experiment to test whether animals like music.
Š Getty
1920s
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