askhistorians

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In 1005, High King Brian Boru of Ireland was referred to in the Book of Armagh as "Imperator Scottorum" - Emperor of the Gaels". Was it common for kings to proclaim themselves "Emperor of [cultural group]" during this period? What would it have taken for Boru's claim to have been recognised?	452
Most Irish people have surnames derived from the old Irish clans (eg O'Neill, Byrne, Kelly). Are they all descendants of members of those clans, or was it common for people to take those names, regardless of ancestry?	151
Is it common for historians to refer to historical states by completely different names than what they were known as at the time(e.g. referring to the medieval Roman Empire as the "Byzantine" Empire)?	140
Did the Hundred Years War actually feel like a hundred year war to those who lived during it? Did ordinary French/English people at the time believe that their kingdoms were endlessly at war with each other?	137
In the video game Shogun 2:Total War, Japanese samurai/soldiers of the Sengoku period wore bright colours and banners, unique for each clan. Did Japanese warriors of this period actually wear coloured "uniforms" in this way?	124
Irish-Americans have traditionally been supporters of Irish nationalism. Have there ever been communities of unionist Irish-Americans who supported Ireland remaining under British control?	118
Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, new kingdoms sprung up in lands that hadn't seen kings in centuries. What precedent/custom were these new rulers following when they proclaimed themselves and their lands "kings" and "kingdoms"?	101
In the Napoleonic era, when two armies fought, they fought in long lines. What about when two squads/companies/battalions fought? Would those fights be smaller versions of the big battles, or were there tactics unique to small unit encounters?	92
Was "whacking" ever as common in the American Mafia as it is portrayed in popular culture? Were gangsters constantly living in fear of getting whacked?	74
Why does the current scholarly consensus of the Spartans seem to be that they weren't very militarised at all?	60

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