The muqarnas ceiling at the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran.

I need to conquer Mongolia, but I have no one to leave my cat with.

I need to conquer Mongolia, but I have no one to leave my cat with.

The muqarnas ceiling at the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran.

We're working with @ihr.bsky.social and publisher DC Thomson to run a new 'Applied History Fellowships' scheme. We are pleased to announce the appointment of two Fellows this month bit.ly/3RjmSOw Fellowships provide recent PhDs with experience of working, with #history, outside HE #Skystorians 1/2

New 'Special Section' in Transactions: 'Legacies of the Imjin War (1592–1598) in and beyond East Asia': bit.ly/4dmUfsh Japan’s invasion of the Korean peninsula was the largest armed conflict of the late C16th. Six articles explore the impact of war in East Asia and into the Hispanic Caribbean 1/2

Al-Jazari’s 13th-century wudu robot, a water-pouring machine

We are very pleased to welcome 386 historians who join the Society today - as Fellows, Associate Fellows, Members and Postgraduate Members: bit.ly/4uMObPk Our Fellows and Members teach, research, write and promote #history, within the UK and internationally, in and beyond education #Skystorians

The Society is pleased to publish the Shortlist of its 2026 First Book Prize for early career historians: bit.ly/4dARJO1 This year's list includes eight monographs published in 2025 and follows an open call for submissions. Our two prize winners will be announced in July #Skystorians

Diwrnod diddorol a chynhyrchiol iawn hyd yn hyn @aberuni.bsky.social gyda haneswyr o bob cwr o Gymru. Y sesiwn foreol @librarywales.bsky.social ystyriodd addysgu ac ymchwil hanes Cymru, ac mae ein paneli prynhawn yn mynd i'r afael â moeseg hanes llafar a dulliau o ymdrin ag AI #Skystorians 1/2

We currently invite applications to our 2026-27 Master's Scholarships programme: bit.ly/4dTHmXe Scholarships of £5000 are for students from groups currently underrepresented in academic history to study for an MA in history or a related subject. Closing date: Friday 5 June #Skystorians

Last week we hosted our latest public lecture at the University of Warwick with @sashahandley.bsky.social. Recordings of Sasha's excellent lecture - a history of early modern ghost stories - are now available bit.ly/3QWxQJp #Skystorians 1/2

Applications are now invited for the Society's 2026 Funded Book Workshops - for historians currently writing a 2nd or 3rd monograph bit.ly/4uwep8C. Grants enable authors to hold a day workshop with upto 6 specialist readers to discuss a MS in detail before submission to a publisher #Skystorians

One aim of the Society on BlueSky is to highlight organisations and opportunities that support historians and the humanities. One to promote is @britishacademy.bsky.social's UK-wide Early Career Researcher Network bit.ly/4f2H3tF which offers training, funding, peer support and events #Skystorians

The Society currently invites applications from historians for seven funding programmes across a range of career stages. Deadlines fall between 8 May and 10 July bit.ly/4drZwP2 #Skystorians

Applications are now invited for the Society's Teaching Fellowships, 2026-27. Funds support innovative practice in history teaching in higher education bit.ly/4wbwoDb. Open to UK and international Fellows and Members of the Society. Closing date Friday 10 July 2026 #Skystorians 1/2

On 13 May we visit historians at Aberystwyth University and the National Library of Wales to discuss history in Welsh HE. Our visit ends with a guest lecture by Prof Miri Rubin (QMUL) on: 'Black/Beautiful: Meanings of Blackness in a Biblical Verse'. Join us: online or in-person bit.ly/3R4l0ZA

So pleased to have passed my Viva! Thank you to my brilliant examiners @emilyrobinson.bsky.social & @duncanbell.bsky.social, and especially to my fantastic supervisors @davidedgerton.bsky.social and Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite.

✨ THE RAYMOND WILLIAMS FOUNDATION TARGETED GRANTS SCHEME 2026 The RWF invites applications for up to five grants of up to £1,500 to support self-organised adult learning activities or events. Apply by Sunday 9th Aug 2026. Details: www.raymondwilliamsfoundation.org.uk/grants

Our great thanks to @sashahandley.bsky.social for her excellent RHS Lecture yesterday at the University of Warwick bit.ly/4ehSspc Thanks also to our hosts in the History dept, to members of the Independent Historians' Working Group, and to staff @mrcwarwick.bsky.social for their tour #Skystorians

We've had an excellent morning workshop at Warwick with 25 independent historians, from many backgrounds, all undertaking important, high-quality research. Lots to discuss and think about how @royalhistsoc.org and others can further support those without affiliations. Thanks to all attendees.

We are now closing our day visit to Warwick with a fascinating lecture by Professor Sasha Handley of the University of Manchester. Sasha’s lecture is a study of ghost stories and the meaning of a haunting at the Wesley family’s home in 1716-17.

We are delighted to be at the University of Warwick today for a full Council meeting, a workshop with independent historians, a public lecture at 5.30pm by Prof Sasha Handley, and a chance to meet with Fellows and Members of the Society from the region.

This evening @petermandler.bsky.social gives the 2026 UCL Neale Lecture: ‘Eight Reasons to Study History: The Rise (and Fall?) of History as an Undergraduate Degree’. In-person and online from 6pm bit.ly/4n8KcKE #Skystorians @ihr.bsky.social @histassoc.bsky.social

This Friday, the Society's Council visits the University of Warwick to meet with historians from the region. The day ends with a public lecture by Prof Sasha Handley: 'The Haunting at the Rectory: Ghost Stories and Women’s Lives' bit.ly/3Qv3n4X and followed by a reception. All are very welcome 1/2

We warmly welcome applications to join the Fellowship of the Society. Next closing dates: 11 May & 27 July. Fellowship is open to those who have made a scholarly research contribution to #history. Fellows work in all sectors (within & outside HE) and in the UK/worldwide bit.ly/4iOu51g #Skystorians

On protecting what matters. @ihr.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org @histassoc.bsky.social History UK www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

A reminder that our new funding programme for Fellows & Associate Fellows of the Society resident outside the UK & Ireland closes a week on Friday bit.ly/3PtDQZu Grants support research in UK/Irish archives for international historians. Deadline 8 May to allow research from summer 2026 #Skystorians

'Protecting what matters': a new government policy paper identifies history as central to social cohesion. At the same time, history teaching and research, in our schools and universities, is at risk as never before. To ensure cohesion, we must protect what matters: bit.ly/3QyZQCO #skystorians

The life and work of Dame Averil Cameron, historian of the Byzantine empire, is remembered in this week's BBC Radio 4 'Last Word' www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... With contributions from @tigerlilyrocks.bsky.social and Mary Beard. Starts at 7 mins 10 seconds #Skystorians

We are delighted to be taking part in today's Festival of Social History, organised by @socialhistsoc.bsky.social in its 50th year, at Senate House, University of London. If you're attending, please do come and say hello and pick up a badge or three #Skystorians

Next Friday, the Society's Council visits the University of Warwick to meet with historians from the region. The day ends with a public lecture by Prof Sasha Handley: 'The Haunting at the Rectory: Ghost Stories and Women’s Lives' bit.ly/3Qv3n4X and followed by a reception. All are very welcome 1/2

Tomorrow, 'New Historical Perspectives' author Dr Sarah Fox takes part in the online panel 'Open Access Publishing in Practice: Author Experiences and Insights' bit.ly/41NcsZu. Booking for this guide to OA for authors remains open. Part of the 2026 London Open Science & Scholarship Festival, 1/2

Sarah published her monograph, 'Giving Birth in Eighteenth-Century England' bit.ly/41Jge65 in 2022 as part of the Society's New Historical Perspectives series with @uolpress.bsky.social. All 26 books in the NHP early career series are published OA and free to read bit.ly/48caQMu #Skystorians 2/2

And Dame Averil Cameron (1940-2026), historian of the Byzantine empire bit.ly/4ex8POD #Skystorians

We are sorry to learn of the deaths of two leading historians and Fellows of the Society this month: Lord Robert Skidelsky (1939-2026), economic historian and biographer of Keynes bit.ly/4e1mcqa #Skystorians

Today we also open the call for applications to our 2026-27 Master's Scholarships programme: bit.ly/4dTHmXe Scholarships of £5000 are for students from groups currently underrepresented in academic history to study for an MA in history or a related subject. Closing date: Friday 5 June #Skystorians

Research funding for historians: the Society currently invites applications for 5 grant programmes: to support individual and project-based research by historians across a range of career stages bit.ly/4vzzNeB. Closing dates for eligible applicants fall between 8 May and 5 June 2026 #Skystorians

The Society's Fellowship is a UK / worldwide gathering of historians who've contributed to historical understanding and knowledge through a body of work. If you're interested in joining them, we've a brief guide to the many activities of RHS Fellows and how to apply bit.ly/3OzhoxK #Skystorians 1/2

On Friday 1 May, the Society's Council is at the University of Warwick to meet with historians from the region. The day closes with a public lecture (5.30pm) by Sasha Handley on ‘The Haunting at the Rectory: Ghost Stories and Women’s Lives in Early Modern England’ bit.ly/4tnpwRa All welcome.

We're in Sheffield today to co-host our annual day conference, 'History and Archives in Practice', with @ihr.bsky.social, The National Archives, and University of Sheffield Library #HAP26 40+ speakers explore the contributions of history to social and civic identity: bit.ly/4tj8DqW #Skystorians

To accompany his new book, Rowan also writes today for the RHS blog on the impact of the Navy and Air Leagues in maintaining militarism in Britain after 1918: bit.ly/3OJ53as The NHP series is supported by @ihr.bsky.social and @echistsoc.bsky.social. All 26 books are available OA bit.ly/4sBmIyC

This Thursday we are in Sheffield to co-host this year's 'History and Archives in Practice' (#HAP26) day, with The National Archives, @ihr.bsky.social and @unisheffieldlib.bsky.social. The 2026 theme is: ‘Shaping Societies, Improving Lives'. Full programme now available: bit.ly/4s5UMCS #Skystorians

Thursday is also publication day of 'Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain. The Navy League and the Air League of the British Empire', by Rowan Thompson: bit.ly/474AbHq Next in the RHS 'New Historical Perspectives' book series. Published free OA & in p/back @uolpress.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2

New article in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'. 'Louis XIV’s Attitude to the Chinese Rites Controversy': bit.ly/47NYgmk Dr Sean Heath offers an exploration of ecclesiastical policy in the making under the Sun King. Sean's article is now freely available Open Access #Skystorians 1/2

Next week: the latest in the Society's 'New Historical Perspectives' book series is 'Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain. The Navy League and the Air League of the British Empire', by Rowan Thompson: bit.ly/474AbHq Published free OA & in p/back @uolpress.bsky.social on 9 April #Skystorians 1/2

Rowan's is the 26th in the Society's 'New Historical Perspectives' book series for early career historians, published with @uolpress.bsky.social and support from @ihr.bsky.social and @echistsoc.bsky.social All titles are available free Open Access and in paperback: bit.ly/3OW1GN3 2/2

Last month we hosted the 2026 RHS / German Historical Institute, London global history lecture: 'Decolonising the Natural History Collections of Empire' by Professor Vinita Damodaran. The audio recording of Vinita's lecture is now available: bit.ly/3NPBx2w via @ghilondon.bsky.social #Skystorians

Attended the @royalhistsoc.org panel on Historical Context: Modern Iran. An exceptionally rich and rigorous discussion. The historical depth and analytical clarity greatly contributed to my academic perspective. Thank you for such a timely and intellectually stimulating event.

We are pleased to launch today a new funding programme for Fellows & Associate Fellows of the Society resident outside the UK & Ireland bit.ly/3PtDQZu Grants support research in UK / Irish archives for our international historians. Deadline 8 May to enable research from summer 2026 #Skystorians 1/2