AskHistorians

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Picaresque novels were one of the earliest European genres to emerge not particularly concerned with royals or matters of faith; was there something particular about Spain in the 16th and 17th century that made it a natural fit for this kind of development?	18
Were the Kinsey reports an immediate sensation? Who was reading them and how widely read/discussed were they? Are there any indications that the release of the reports had an impact upon behavior?	18
In 'Lion in Winter', Henry fostered a competitive relationship between his potential heirs, with ramifications far exceeding his life;was it artistic licence, or, if it was the true nature of the relationship between his possible heirs, was he a one-off or typical of Plantagenet succession?	18
Most popular sports have foggy histories, having evolved from similar childhood games over time, but basketball was invented (1st public game played March 11, 1892). What motivated James Naismith to invent the game?	18
The machinations taken by Henry VIII suggest that it would be regarded as a crisis should he not produce a male heir; how was it received publicly and in government when his daughters succeeded him shortly after his death? Were they raised in a manner suggesting a public role was expected of them?	18
I'm a peasant farmer in 13th century France hoping for a better life for my children; what avenues do I have available for them/towards what professions do I steer them?	18
Writers of the Flavian era liked to savage emperors from the Julio-Claudian era (Tiberius was a pervert! Caligula was an abomination! Claudius was a simpleton! Nero fiddled while Rome burned!) Do we have any evidence that any of these emperors were, in fact, deviant or negligent in their duties?	17
There was a notion during WWII that Rommel was the "good" German (not really ideologically a Nazi, possibly unaware of the Holocaust, died after a failed coup against Hitler). Is this still consistent with what we know of the man?	17
Pompey was Julius Caesar's son-in-law, despite being six years his senior; were marriages with this sort of extreme age-gap common among the Roman aristocracy? Would it have been noteworthy, or at all a source of public scandal?	17
Modern evangelical Christians seem to place a great deal of emphasis on the Revelation (as opposed to the life of, or teachings of, Jesus); was this historically a point of emphasis, or is this a modern trend? Are there any theories as to why it has become such a focal point?	17

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