History glossary
Commonwealth
a voluntary association of independent states, many with historic ties to the British Empire.
- Category
- International association
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- 20th century-present
What it means
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states, many of them former British colonies or dominions, that replaced imperial command with looser diplomatic, cultural, and symbolic ties.
Stories using this term
The Ethiopian Empire
From Tewodros II's reunification drive to Haile Selassie's overthrow, Ethiopia defended independence, expanded imperial power, modernised unevenly and held a unique place in modern African history.
The Roman Empire
From Augustus to the fall of the Western Empire, Rome built a vast imperial system whose law, cities, armies and ideas shaped the ancient and medieval worlds.
The Anglo-Saxons
The Anglo-Saxons were the peoples and kingdoms that shaped Anglo-Saxon England after the end of Roman rule in Britain. From migration and settlement in Anglo-Saxon Britain to Christian conversion, Viking attacks, Alfred the Great, and the road to 1066, Anglo-Saxon history explains how early medieval England took form. Their language, laws, kingdoms, monasteries, and political traditions left a lasting mark on English identity before the Norman Conquest transformed the realm.
The Cold War
Rivalry between East and West shapes global politics - through proxy wars, propaganda, and nuclear tension.
The English Civil War
Civil war between king and Parliament led to regicide, a republic, and lasting constitutional change.
The Soviets
From revolution to superpower, the Soviet Union rose, struggled internally, and collapsed in 1991.
The Battle of Britain
In 1940, Britain’s air defense held against German attack, blocking invasion plans and preserving a vital base for eventual Allied victory in Europe.
The Second World War
From fragile peace to global war, WWII reshaped the world through conflict, genocide, and new power orders.
