Images

Gracchus Babeuf and Augustin Darthé stab themselves at their trial, after the verdict of death was announced, 26 May 1797. Both survived their injuries only to be guillotined the next day, 27 May. They were thereafter remembered as Jacobin...

A map depicting the rise and expansion of the Merovingians, a powerful Frankish dynasty that, at the end of the 5th century, was the first to unify the fragmented tribes and petty kingdoms in the territory of present-day Germany, France...

An 1804 painting by Thomas Lawrence of Caroline of Brunswick-Wolferbüttel (d. 1821) who married George IV of Great Britain (r. 1820-1830) in April 1795 when he was the Prince of Wales. The couple became estranged and Caroline was never crowned...

A 1792 cartoon by James Gillray showing the future George IV of Great Britain (r. 1820-30). George was fond of over-eating and drinking and his obesity here is in stark contrast to his official portraits. (Library of Congress)

The Royal Pavilion of Brighton. It was built from 1787 when regular visits by Prince George, future George IV of Great Britain (r. 1820-1830) made the resort highly fashionable.

Fragment of a Neo-Assyrian clay tablet, with 8 lines of bilingual text, including proverbs and riddles, from the Library of Ashurbanipal, Kouyunjik, Iraq. The British Museum, London.

Neo-Assyrian clay tablet of proverbs with 19 lines of bilingual inscription, from the Library of Ashurbanipal, Kouyunjik, Iraq. The British Museum, London.

An 1816 painting by Thomas Lawrence of George IV of Great Britain (r. 1820-30) when he was Prince Regent. He is here shown wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter. (Vatican Museums)

An 1821 painting by Thomas Lawrence of George IV of Great Britain (r. 1820-30) wearing his coronation robes. (Royal Collection)

An engraving by Henry Hoppner Meyer showing George III of Great Britain (r. 1760-1820) towards the end of his life when his mental illness led to his son becoming Prince Regent (1811-20). (National Portrait Gallery, London)