Seven years before Trafalgar, the Battle of Aboukir Bay was the victory that made Nelson\u2019s name. It catapulted the 39-year-old rear admiral to fame, and established his reputation as Britain\u2019s greatest naval commander.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Sighting the French fleet at anchor off the Egyptian coast, Nelson made the bold decision to attack immediately, even though night would soon be falling. His tactic caught the enemy off-guard, and when the smoke had finally cleared, all but two of France\u2019s ships of the line had been captured or wiped out. With his army now stranded in Egypt, Napoleon\u2019s long-cherished dream of dominating the East lay in ruins.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In our cover story for this issue, Stephen Roberts marks the 225th anniversary of Aboukir Bay \u2013 also known as the Battle of the Nile \u2013 by looking at what really happened on 1 August 1798, and what it can tell us about Nelson\u2019s abilities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Elsewhere, in our latest two-part special, Graham Goodlad explores the partnership between Oliver Cromwell and Sir Thomas Fairfax, and reveals how they won a decisive victory at Marston Moor, the largest battle of the English Civil War.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Also in this issue, we have the latest in John Lock\u2019s \u2018Butterfly Effect\u2019 series, uncovering the unintended consequences of Paul Revere\u2019s famous \u2018midnight ride\u2019; while William E Welsh travels further back in time to examine the siege that led to the fall of the Republic of Siena.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And finally, 80 years on, Taylor Downing looks back on the key events of 1943, when hard-fought Allied victories at Stalingrad, in North Africa, and in Sicily saw the turning of the tide of WWII in Europe. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In this issue:<\/strong><\/p>\n – Nelson and the Nile: The Battle of Aboukir Bay, 1798
– Europe 1943: turning the tide of WWII
– Cromwell and Fairfax: how the English Civil War was won
– Terror in Tuscany: the cruel siege of Siena
– American Patriot: Paul Revere\u2019s \u2018midnight ride\u2019<\/p>\n