/r/askhistorians

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At a time when royal religious disposition was the kind of thing countries fought wars over, the Stuarts produced a mix of Catholics and Protestants. How unusual was this, for a royal family, for this time? How did it come about?

157 upvotes • td4999

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Are ancient Chinese characters still legible for the average Chinese person today? If not, how did they evolve into the characters that are used in modern China?

157 upvotes • mrcowcow

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On this sub I often here about how Medieval warfare was more about small raids than large pitched battles, but what were these raids actually like? Who participated in them, what did they target, how were they fought and how did they help the war effort?

157 upvotes • gorgagon

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In "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne, the Bank of England is portrayed as having virtually no security. Was this actually the case at the time the book was written?

157 upvotes • TheD3rp

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In the 1950s case MacCormick v Lord Advocate, the right of Elizabeth II to use the regnal number "II" in Scotland was contested, as Scotland had never had an Elizabeth I. Were there similar controversies at the accessions of William IV, Edward VII or Edward VIII?

157 upvotes • Froakiebloke

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How did April fools day become a thing?

157 upvotes • Saxtanton

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According to Islamic tradition, on the same year Muhammad was born, an army with war elephants tried to attack Mecca but failed. Did this really happen, and what's the real story behind it?

157 upvotes • megami-hime

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Would medieval mariners really have cut down their mast in preparation for a storm?

157 upvotes • equatoria

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What made the Soviet Union think Israel would side with them over the United States during the Cold War when Israel was established?

157 upvotes • Knightmare25

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Are there any writings from past civilizations and cultures wherein the writer acknowledges that his or her civilization is undergoing a collapse?

157 upvotes • brother_beer

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
At a time when royal religious disposition was the kind of thing countries fought wars over, the Stuarts produced a mix of Catholics and Protestants. How unusual was this, for a royal family, for this time? How did it come about?	157	td4999
Are ancient Chinese characters still legible for the average Chinese person today? If not, how did they evolve into the characters that are used in modern China?	157	mrcowcow
On this sub I often here about how Medieval warfare was more about small raids than large pitched battles, but what were these raids actually like? Who participated in them, what did they target, how were they fought and how did they help the war effort?	157	gorgagon
In "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne, the Bank of England is portrayed as having virtually no security. Was this actually the case at the time the book was written?	157	TheD3rp
In the 1950s case MacCormick v Lord Advocate, the right of Elizabeth II to use the regnal number "II" in Scotland was contested, as Scotland had never had an Elizabeth I. Were there similar controversies at the accessions of William IV, Edward VII or Edward VIII?	157	Froakiebloke
How did April fools day become a thing?	157	Saxtanton
According to Islamic tradition, on the same year Muhammad was born, an army with war elephants tried to attack Mecca but failed. Did this really happen, and what's the real story behind it?	157	megami-hime
Would medieval mariners really have cut down their mast in preparation for a storm?	157	equatoria
What made the Soviet Union think Israel would side with them over the United States during the Cold War when Israel was established?	157	Knightmare25
Are there any writings from past civilizations and cultures wherein the writer acknowledges that his or her civilization is undergoing a collapse?	157	brother_beer