/u/megami-hime's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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"Tyrant" and "Despot" in modern English both refer to particularly cruel and oppressive rulers, but originally were just fairly generic Greek terms for rulers. How did they gain their English connotations?

298 upvotes

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How different was the Islam practiced in Al-Andalus to the Islam practiced in Iraq in the year 1000 AD?

292 upvotes

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What was the Islamic reaction to the Great Schism, if any?

286 upvotes

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In Dante's Inferno, Odysseus is seen suffering in hell. Did Christians in Dante's time believe Greco-Roman mythical tales such as the Trojan War saga to be "historical" despite the strong presence of "pagan" deities in them?

256 upvotes

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The Logistics of Zheng He: How was Zheng He able to pay, accommodate and feed his massive fleet so far away from home?

252 upvotes

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Why are small towns in America called towns, and not "villages"?

220 upvotes

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What did medieval Arabs think about Ancient Mesopotamian ruins? How much did they understand their origins?

219 upvotes

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Napoleon was officially the ruler of Elba while exiled there prior to the Hundred Days. What legacy, if any, did his brief rule leave on the island?

190 upvotes

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Realistically, why would have Muhammad's preaching been controversial and resisted by the Meccans? Wasn't the city already familiar with monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Judaism?

167 upvotes

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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

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
"Tyrant" and "Despot" in modern English both refer to particularly cruel and oppressive rulers, but originally were just fairly generic Greek terms for rulers. How did they gain their English connotations?	298
How different was the Islam practiced in Al-Andalus to the Islam practiced in Iraq in the year 1000 AD?	292
What was the Islamic reaction to the Great Schism, if any?	286
In Dante's Inferno, Odysseus is seen suffering in hell. Did Christians in Dante's time believe Greco-Roman mythical tales such as the Trojan War saga to be "historical" despite the strong presence of "pagan" deities in them?	256
The Logistics of Zheng He: How was Zheng He able to pay, accommodate and feed his massive fleet so far away from home?	252
Why are small towns in America called towns, and not "villages"?	220
What did medieval Arabs think about Ancient Mesopotamian ruins? How much did they understand their origins?	219
Napoleon was officially the ruler of Elba while exiled there prior to the Hundred Days. What legacy, if any, did his brief rule leave on the island?	190
Realistically, why would have Muhammad's preaching been controversial and resisted by the Meccans? Wasn't the city already familiar with monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Judaism?	167
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