askhistorians

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The Notitia Dignitatum shows us the shield patterns of Roman military units shortly before the fall of the Western Empire. Are the patterns depicted in the Notitia a pre-history of heraldry? Did they have any influence on the medieval development of coats of arms or traditions of regional symbolism?	32
I've read that some Italian troops sent by Mussolini to fight in the Spanish Civil War were told they were just going to be extras in a movie, and only found out later that they were really going to war. Is this true, or a just a joke that was taken seriously by some?	30
In Medieval Western Europe, the title of Emperor seems to be tied to a claim of succession from the Roman Empire. And yet, many Iberian kings claimed the title of "Emperor of all Spain". Were they claiming succession from the Romans and declaring that both the HRE and Byzantines were illegitimate?	16
Did Hitler ever consider having a son to inherit his legacy? If he didn't, why wasn't he worried about it? Did he even consider at all the issue of his succession before his panicky last days?	7
Richard Wagner was "actively engaged" in the Dresden uprising of 1849 (one of the final acts of the Springtime of Nations). But what did he do specifically? Did he simply proclaim support through leaflets and speeches? Or did the composer actually grab a weapon and fight in the barricades?	6
What impact did the discovery of the New World have on European music?	4
Before modern surveys established Everest as the highest mountain on the planet, what mountains were thought to be the peak of the world?	2
What is the origin of the representation of ancestry as a tree?	2
What is the general opinion on the work of French historian Robert Fossier?	2

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