Karwansaray Publishers

What Karwansaray Publishers does

Karwansaray Publishers (legal entity Karwansaray BV) is a Dutch independent publishing company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Zutphen, Netherlands, specializing in non-fiction history books and magazines. Its core product portfolio consists of four bi-monthly magazine titles: Ancient History Magazine (60-page general ancient history), Ancient Warfare Magazine (pre-600 AD military history), Medieval World: Culture & Conflict (rebranded in May 2022 from Medieval Warfare to broaden scope beyond warfare), and Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (84-page hobby wargaming). The company also sells books, special issues from partner publishers, magazine binders, A3/A4 historical prints, and apparel merchandise. Editorial leadership includes founder Jasper Oorthuys alongside three title-specific editors with academic credentials (e.g., PhD from Aarhus University).

The business model is primarily subscription-based recurring revenue, with annual print subscriptions priced at $64-$94 and monthly digital subscriptions at $7-$10 across the titles, supplemented by one-time book and merchandise sales. Distribution is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce storefront with worldwide shipping, digital distribution through Zinio and PocketMags, and physical retail through WH Smiths (UK) and Barnes & Noble (US). Go-to-market combines owned content channels (per-magazine blogs, YouTube, podcasts via The History Network) with community engagement (Roman Army Talk and Lead Adventure forums, Kickstarter launches for new titles). The underlying technology stack is conventional e-commerce and digital publishing infrastructure with no proprietary technology or AI capabilities disclosed. The company remains privately held, founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional funding or M&A activity.

Name

Karwansaray Publishers

Legal name

Karwansaray BV

Website

https://karwansaraypublishers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Karwansaray Publishers is a Dutch independent publisher of four bi-monthly history and wargaming magazines (Ancient History, Ancient Warfare, Medieval World, Wargames Soldiers & Strategy), plus books and merchandise, distributed globally via subscriptions through its Shopify storefront and major retail and digital platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty History Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

Keywords

• History magazine publishing
• Periodical subscriptions
• Non-fiction books
• Ancient history publications
• Wargaming magazines

Headquarters

HQ city

Zutphen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from bi-monthly magazine publications including Ancient History, Ancient Warfare, Medieval World, and Wargames Soldiers & Strategy. Subscriptions available in print, digital, and combined formats with auto-renewal options.
2. Book Sales: One-time purchase revenue from history books covering topics from ancient history through modern era, including special issues and publications from partner publishers.
3. Back Issues and Merchandise: Sale of historical magazine back issues, binders, prints (A3/A4 artwork prints), and apparel merchandise including t-shirts and mugs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Karwansaray Publishers is a Dutch publishing company that produces and sells non-fiction history books and bi-monthly magazines on ancient, medieval, and wargaming topics. The company publishes four flagship magazine titles (Ancient History, Ancient Warfare, Medieval World, and Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy) along with related books, special issues, binders, and historical artwork prints, sold via subscriptions and one-time purchases through its own Shopify webshop and retail/digital distribution partners.

Product overview

Karwansaray Publishers is a Dutch publishing company specializing in non-fiction history books and magazines with an international outlook. The product portfolio consists of four main magazine titles: Ancient History Magazine (a bi-monthly 60-page general ancient history publication), Ancient Warfare Magazine (a bi-monthly military history publication covering ancient battles and tactics), Medieval World: Culture & Conflict (a rebranded bi-monthly magazine combining medieval military and cultural history), and Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (an 84-page wargaming magazine focused on gameplay scenarios and hobby content). The company also offers digital subscriptions with searchable back issue archives, special issues and books, binders for collectors, and high-quality prints of historical artwork. Publications cover topics from ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages, with content distributed through the company's Shopify-based webshop, as well as digital platforms like Zinio and PocketMags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ancient History Magazine: Bi-monthly 60-page magazine covering all aspects of the ancient world including politics, society, literature, religion, economics, and art. Edited by Owain Williams.
• Ancient Warfare Magazine
• Medieval World: Culture & Conflict
• Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (WS&S)

Products and services

• Ancient History Magazine A bi-monthly, 60-page full-colour magazine bringing the ancient world to life through articles on politics, society, literature, language, religion, economics, and art. Each issue is centered around a specific theme, written for an informed but casual audience. Edited by Owain Williams.
• Ancient Warfare Magazine A bi-monthly publication focused exclusively on soldiers, battles, and tactics from ancient Egypt and Persia through the fall of the Western Roman Empire (before 600 AD). Published with thematic issues covering military history across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia and Africa. Edited by Jasper Oorthuys.
• Medieval World: Culture & Conflict A bi-monthly, 60-page magazine featuring rich history and material culture of the Middle Ages. Combines military and non-military content including politics, religion, literature, art, and society. Features articles by leading scholars and early career researchers with illustrations from global collections. Edited by Rhiannon Garth Jones.
• Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (WS&S) An 84-page full-colour wargaming magazine focused on fun gameplay rather than lengthy historical exposition. Provides scenarios, rules adaptations, miniature reviews, painting guides, and terrain building articles for historical wargaming enthusiasts of all experience levels. Edited by Guy Bowers.
• Digital/Online Magazine Subscriptions (Back Issue Archives) Online subscriptions providing PDF editions of each new issue plus unlimited searchable access to the complete back issue archive. Includes Ancient History Online, Ancient Warfare Online, Medieval World Online, and WS&S Online platforms accessible via the e-mags.karwansaraypublishers.com site.
• Special Issues and History Books Standalone special issues and books covering specific historical topics in depth, including works on Roman warfare, medieval battles, Dacian wars, and other historical subjects from various publishers including Ares Publishers, Napoleon V, TooFatLardies, and Zeughaus Verlag. Sold as one-time purchases through the company's webshop.
• Magazine Binders Collectible binders for organizing and storing printed magazine issues, including Ancient History Binder, Ancient Warfare Binder, and Medieval World Binder, sold through the Karwansaray webshop.
• Historical Art Prints High-quality A3 and A4 prints of historical artwork, battles, and artifacts featured in the magazines, including prints of the Battle of Alesia, Battle of Cape Ecnomus, Assyrian lion hunt, and other historical scenes, sold through the Karwansaray webshop.

Quantifiable outcome

• 996+ verified customer reviews with positive feedback on publication quality

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WH SmithsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK retail bookstore chain partner for physical magazine distribution alongside other retail channels.
• Barnes & NobleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS retail bookstore chain partner for physical magazine distribution.
• ZiniominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital magazine platform for online magazine app distribution.
• PocketMagsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital magazine platform for online magazine app distribution.
• The History NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPodcast partner for Ancient Warfare Magazine, Medieval Warfare, and Wargames Soldiers & Strategy podcast distribution.
• Roman Army Talk ForumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity forum partner for ancient world and Roman army discussion, linked on Ancient Warfare magazine pages.
• Lead Adventure ForumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWargaming community forum partner for WSS Magazine promotion and engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• HistoryNet / Osprey E-mags distribution peers: HistoryNet is an online history publication hosting scholarly and enthusiast articles on ancient and medieval warfare - overlapping editorial territory with Ancient Warfare and Medieval World and competing for reader attention in the same niche via free content.

Direct peers

• Pen & Sword Books: Independent UK publisher of military history, ancient and medieval history titles, with a similarly themed non-fiction book catalog plus The Signing Zone magazine. Competes head-on with Karwansaray for history-enthusiast readers and shelf space at Barnes & Noble and other retailers.
• History Today: Long-standing subscription-based history magazine covering all periods of world history - general ancient and medieval history audience overlap with Ancient History Magazine, and a comparable recurring-revenue direct-to-consumer publishing model.
• Strategy & Tactics (Decisive Action Systems): Recurring wargaming subscription magazine featuring detailed historical scenarios and games. Direct competitor in the wargamer subscription category, serving the same target hobbyist readers as Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy.
• Osprey Publishing: Osprey publishes heavily illustrated military history books and magazines (Osprey Magazine) on ancient, medieval, and modern warfare - the same subject verticals and bi-monthly cadence as Karwansaray's Ancient Warfare and Medieval World. Direct rival in the niche historical non-fiction subscription and book market.
• Miniature Wargames: Established hobby-wargaming magazine covering scenarios, reviews, and historical content for miniature wargamers. Overlapping readership and distribution with Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy, making it a peer in the recurring subscription wargaming magazine category.
• Wargames Illustrated: Long-running bi-monthly wargaming magazine featuring scenarios, painting guides, and historical rule adaptations for tabletop wargamers - the direct rival to Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy in the historical wargaming hobby press market.

Others

• Zinio: Digital magazine distribution platform that hosts Karwansaray's titles (Medieval World, others) and competing history and wargaming magazines. Functions as an enabling ecosystem partner and indirect competitive channel for reader attention and subscription dollars.

Broad incumbents

• All About History: Future plc's visually rich history magazine covering ancient civilizations through modern eras. A scaled, well-funded incumbent in the accessible illustrated history magazine category, competing for the same retail shelf at Barnes & Noble and WH Smiths.
• BBC History Magazine: Major UK-based monthly history magazine from Immediate Media, covering ancient through modern history for a general readership. A broader incumbent competitor in the history enthusiast subscription category that overlaps with Ancient History Magazine's audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/wssmagazine
• Xx.com/Karwansaray
• Facebookfacebook.com/karwansaray

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karwansaray Publishers