Friday, 13 November 2026
History

Open History Magazine

The Order That Would Not Die: The Real Story of the Illuminati
Early Modern

The Order That Would Not Die: The Real Story of the Illuminati

In 1776 a young law professor founded a small secret reading society in Bavaria. It was outlawed within a decade, yet its name now stands for a world-controlling cabal that the historical record does not support.

8 November 2026

The History of Cancer: From Ancient Crabs to Cellular Code

Cancer feels like a modern disease, but it is as old as multicellular life. Dinosaur bones carry tumours. Egyptian mummies carry them too. What is new is our understanding of it. In about 3,600 years, humanity has moved from writing "there is no treatment" on a papyrus to reading the mutations of a single tumour and designing a drug, or even a vaccine, around them. This article follows that journey: what cancer is, how it was discovered, and what medicine uses against it today.

7 November 2026
The History of Cancer: From Ancient Crabs to Cellular Code
Early Modern

The Permanent Settlement of 1793

The Permanent Settlement, also known as the Zamindari Settlement, was introduced on March 22, 1793, by Lord Cornwallis, the Governor-General of British India. It was enacted through Regulation I of 1793 and applied primarily to Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. It fixed the land revenue demand of the East India Company permanently, meaning the amount of tax to be paid by zamindars to the colonial government would never increase regardless of how productive the land became. This was one of the most cons

7 September 2026
The Permanent Settlement of 1793

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The History of Cancer: From Ancient Crabs to Cellular Code

The History of Cancer: From Ancient Crabs to Cellular Code

Cancer feels like a modern disease, but it is as old as multicellular life. Dinosaur bones carry tumours. Egyptian mummies carry them too. What is new is our understanding of it. In about 3,600 years, humanity has moved from writing "there is no treatment" on a papyrus to reading the mutations of a single tumour and designing a drug, or even a vaccine, around them. This article follows that journey: what cancer is, how it was discovered, and what medicine uses against it today.

7 November 2026

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European Trading Companies in Asia

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How Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark and France competed for Asian trade.

French in India (1664-1954)

The French posed the most serious challenge to English supremacy in India among all European powers. Unlike the Dutch who focused on Indonesia, the French actively sought political power in India, leading to prolonged Anglo-French conflicts that ultimately decided which European nation would dominate the subcontinent.

11 January 2026

Danish in India (1620-1845)

The Danish presence in India was the smallest among all European trading companies. The Danes established a limited presence primarily focused on textile trade from South India and Bengal. Unlike other European powers, Denmark never attempted territorial expansion or political interference, maintaining a purely commercial focus throughout their 225-year presence.

10 January 2026

Dutch in India (1602-1825)

The Dutch entered India primarily for spice trade and focused more on the East Indies (Indonesia) than on Indian territories. Unlike the Portuguese and later the British, the Dutch showed limited interest in territorial expansion in India, preferring to concentrate their colonial efforts on the lucrative spice islands.

9 January 2026

Portuguese in India: First to Arrive, Last to Leave

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India at the end of the 15th century, establishing control over key maritime trade routes. Their arrival reshaped global trade patterns and opened the door for other European colonial powers to enter the Indian subcontinent.

5 January 2026

Reformers and Dissenters

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The Pagal Panthi Revolt (1825-1835): When Faith Became a Weapon of the Oppressed

The Pagal Panthi Revolt (1825-1835): When Faith Became a Weapon of the Oppressed

In the early nineteenth century, the northern districts of Bengal witnessed a remarkable fusion of spiritual devotion and social rebellion. The Pagal Panthi Revolt of 1825-1835 stands as one of the most significant peasant uprisings against colonial oppression and feudal exploitation in British India. Led by charismatic leaders who combined religious authority with political vision, this movement represented the desperate struggle of marginalised tribal communities fighting for dignity, justice,

31 December 2025
Sudharak: India’s First Dalit Voice and the Birth of Anti-Caste Journalism

Sudharak: India’s First Dalit Voice and the Birth of Anti-Caste Journalism

In 1888, at a time when the vast majority of Dalits in India were denied basic literacy and their voices systematically erased from public discourse, a remarkable man named Gopal Baba Walangkar did something unprecedented. He founded Sudharak (सुधारक), meaning “The Reformer”—India’s first newspaper published by and for the Dalit community. This wasn’t merely the launch of another periodical; it was an act of profound defiance against one of history’s most entrenched systems of oppression.

29 December 2025
The Brahmo Samaj: A Critical Reexamination of India’s First Modern Reform Movement

The Brahmo Samaj: A Critical Reexamination of India’s First Modern Reform Movement

The Brahmo Samaj stands as one of the most significant socio-religious reform movements in modern Indian history. Founded in 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in Calcutta, it represented the first systematic attempt to reconcile Hindu tradition with Western rationalism and create a reformed religious framework for colonial India. Yet, nearly two centuries later, a critical assessment reveals a movement marked by profound contradictions—one that challenged orthodoxy while reinforcing certain hierarchies

28 December 2025

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