Dear Members and Friends,
I am delighted to announce our upcoming lecture series for the 2025-2026 season. We have a fascinating lineup of speakers who will be exploring a diverse range of historical topics, from religious conflict in England to the decline of empires and the birth of nations.
Our lectures will again be held at St Nicolas Church Hall, each starting at 19:30. Note that the February 2026 lecture is on a Thursday but the rest are on Tuesday as normal.
23 September 2025 – The President’s Lecture- Professor Alexandra Walsham: Persecution and toleration in England, 1500-1700
Professor Walsham, a leading expert on the Reformation and early modern England and President of the Historical Association, will explore the complex religious landscape of England between 1500 and 1700. This period was marked by dramatic religious shifts, of course, including the break with Rome under Henry VIII, the Protestant reforms under Elizabeth I, and the Catholic-Protestant tensions that culminated in the English Civil War. Professor Walsham will examine how individuals and communities navigated these changes, balancing religious conviction with the need for social harmony, and how the concepts of persecution and toleration evolved during this turbulent time.
21 October 2025 – Professor Saliha Belmessous: Empire and Obligation: Rethinking Colonial Relationships as Social Contracts (Insights from the British and French Empires, 19th–20th Century)
Professor Belmessous challenges traditional views of colonialism by exploring the idea of a “social contract” between colonizers and the colonized. Focusing on the British and French Empires in the 19th and 20th centuries, she will delve into the legal and moral frameworks that shaped these relationships. Her lecture will shed light on the promises and obligations—both explicit and implicit—that underpinned imperial rule and how these were understood, challenged, and ultimately broken by different groups. This offers a new perspective on the dynamics of power and resistance in colonial history.
18 November 2025 – Professor Lyndal Roper: The German Peasants’ War: Why You Should Care About It.
Professor Roper will transport us to the heart of the German Peasants’ War of 1524-1525, a major uprising in Central Europe. This conflict, which occurred just as the Protestant Reformation was gaining momentum, saw thousands of peasants and commoners rise against their landlords and the nobility. Inspired by religious and social grievances, they demanded an end to serfdom and feudal obligations. Professor Roper’s lecture will explore the causes of the rebellion, its religious dimensions, and the brutal suppression that followed, offering a detailed look at one of the most significant popular revolts in European history.
2 December 2025 – Professor Michael Fulford: Silchester: recent research on the Iron Age Town and Roman City
Professor Fulford, a leading archaeologist and director of the Silchester Town Life Project, will provide an update on the latest discoveries from the Roman city of Calleva Atrebatum, located in modern-day Hampshire. This site, one of the most well-preserved Roman towns in Britain, offers a unique window into the lives of both the Iron Age inhabitants and their Roman successors. Professor Fulford will discuss recent excavations and what they tell us about the city’s development, its economic life, and the daily routines of its people.
20 January 2026 – Professor Nigel Saul: The Hundred Years War, 1337-1453: History and Myth
Our branch President, Professor Nigel Saul will take us on a journey through the Hundred Years’ War, the epic struggle between the English and French crowns. While often remembered for figures like Edward III, the Black Prince, and Joan of Arc, the war was a complex series of conflicts that profoundly shaped the political and national identities of both countries. Professor Saul will disentangle the historical realities from the myths that have grown around this period, examining the causes of the war, its key battles (such as Crécy and Agincourt), and its impact on medieval Europe.
12 February 2026 – Professor Jonathan Harris: 1054 and the Schism between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
Professor Harris, an expert on the Byzantine Empire, will shed light on one of the most significant events in Christian history: the Great Schism of 1054. This event marked the formal split between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Churches. While sometimes seen as a sudden break, the schism was the culmination of centuries of theological, political, and cultural disagreements between Constantinople and Rome. Professor Harris’s lecture will explore the long-term causes and immediate triggers of the split, as well as its profound and lasting consequences for Christendom.
17 March 2026 – Dr Jonathan Healey: The Blood in Winter. A Nation Descends 1642
Dr Healey will focus on the pivotal year of 1642, the outbreak of the English Civil War. This year saw the breakdown of relations between King Charles I and Parliament, leading to an armed conflict that would tear the country apart. Dr Healey’s lecture will examine the key events of 1642, from the attempted arrest of the five MPs to the raising of the royal standard at Nottingham. He will explore how a nation descended into war, examining the political, religious, and social tensions that made a peaceful resolution impossible.
21 April 2026 – Dr Michael Talbot: From constitutionalism to catastrophe: The final decades of the Ottoman Empire
Dr Talbot will guide us through the dramatic final decades of the Ottoman Empire, from the late 19th century to its dissolution after World War I. This period was marked by a series of transformative events, including the rise of constitutional movements, the Young Turk Revolution, and a succession of wars that ultimately led to the empire’s collapse. Dr Talbot will explore the internal and external pressures that led to this “catastrophe,” examining how a once-mighty empire grappled with modernity, nationalism, and its place in a changing world.
19 May 2026 – Professor Yasmin Khan: The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan
Professor Khan, a specialist in the history of modern South Asia, will discuss the momentous and traumatic event of the 1947 Partition of British India. Her lecture will explore the complex political negotiations that led to the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, and the devastating human cost of this division. She will delve into the violence, mass migrations, and social upheaval that accompanied the partition, providing a nuanced and deeply human perspective on an event that continues to shape the geopolitics of the region today.
We look forward to seeing you at our lectures. Information about signing up as a branch member will be circulated shortly. National members of the HA can attend on presentation of their membership card.
Best wishes
Matthew
Chair