/u/fiftythreestudio's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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The "wastrel son" who squanders the family wealth through gambling and dissolute behavior is a stock character in 18th and 19th century fiction. What would happen if the family refused to pay the wastrel son's debts?

169 upvotes

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Why do we call barbarian tribes by the names given to them by their opponents (e.g., "Xiongnu", "Suebi")? Do we not know what they called themselves?

124 upvotes

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Robin Hood is a popular image of medieval outlaws. But what was medieval banditry actually like? Who was doing it? How would they survive?

121 upvotes

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Where did the ugly Christmas sweater originate?

119 upvotes

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Do we know why Victor Hugo set Les Miserables during the Paris Uprising of 1832, as opposed to the more famous (and successful) July Revolution?

109 upvotes

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How did ordinary Newfoundlanders feel about becoming a colony again during the Great Depression?

94 upvotes

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Why did Ataturk choose to switch the Turkish language over to the Latin alphabet?

85 upvotes

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How would walled cities handle rivers? It seems like building on both sides of a river would create a weakness in the city walls.

74 upvotes

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In "The Count of Monte Cristo," Edmond Dantes buys his own private island and a title of nobility. Was this common? How easy was it to purchase a title of nobility in the early 19th century?

61 upvotes

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robert e. lee's special order 191 was famously wrapped with three cigars. we know the order went up the federal chain of command, but do we know what happened to the cigars?

60 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
The "wastrel son" who squanders the family wealth through gambling and dissolute behavior is a stock character in 18th and 19th century fiction. What would happen if the family refused to pay the wastrel son's debts?	169
Why do we call barbarian tribes by the names given to them by their opponents (e.g., "Xiongnu", "Suebi")? Do we not know what they called themselves?	124
Robin Hood is a popular image of medieval outlaws. But what was medieval banditry actually like? Who was doing it? How would they survive?	121
Where did the ugly Christmas sweater originate?	119
Do we know why Victor Hugo set Les Miserables during the Paris Uprising of 1832, as opposed to the more famous (and successful) July Revolution?	109
How did ordinary Newfoundlanders feel about becoming a colony again during the Great Depression?	94
Why did Ataturk choose to switch the Turkish language over to the Latin alphabet?	85
How would walled cities handle rivers? It seems like building on both sides of a river would create a weakness in the city walls.	74
In "The Count of Monte Cristo," Edmond Dantes buys his own private island and a title of nobility. Was this common? How easy was it to purchase a title of nobility in the early 19th century?	61
robert e. lee's special order 191 was famously wrapped with three cigars. we know the order went up the federal chain of command, but do we know what happened to the cigars?	60