How to Invent a Country

A less than sturdy boot

The end of the dynasty

King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Holy Roman Emperor - where did it all go wrong?

How did a small family from Switzerland become Europe's greatest dynasty?

There is a faultline in Europe, from the North Sea to the Alps. Belgium sits halfway.

How Amsterdam became one of the world's leading cities in a few short decades

How did a few boggy provinces become one of the trading heavyweights of the world?

Misha Glenny on the people came to America, and the people who were there first

To invent a country you have to define a country. Misha Glenny on the borders of the USA.

Misha Glenny on the invention of the most powerful country in the world

Bismarck, Prussia ... and just how big will Germany be?

Misha Glenny on how a sandy backwater called Prussia began to change the shape and size of Germany

Misha Glenny presents a new history of Germany before the Nazis and two world wars, when this region was the stomping ground for foreign invaders

When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on the borders, the stories and the people of countries worldwide.