askhistorians

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European blacksmiths used well-known tools like anvil and sledgehammer. What tools did blacksmiths in other cultures, like Arabic or Japenese use? How different were they compared to their European colleagues?	1898
Why were white slaves more expensive than black slaves during the Islamic slave trade? Is it only because the "rarity" (around 1 million white slaves vs 15-17 million blacks) or were there other factors?	976
Around a third of William the Conqueror's army in the battle of Hastings were Bretons who had fled from the Anglo-Saxon invaders of Britain some 400-500 year earlier. Were those Bretons aware of this fact? Or did they even chose to participate to have a revenge against the Anglo-Saxons?	324
How is it that the British aristocracy, who once lived magnificently, now are reduced to admitting paying visitors to keep their homes?	200
At its peak, the relatively short-lived Mongol Empire was 5 times bigger than the Roman Empire stretching from Korea to the Kingdom of Hungary. Was it a "real" state with proper Mongol administration, or was it merely just a large area that was (quite brutally) raided and ransacked?	180
Over 1000 manuscripts of Iliad exists which is more than of any other ancient works. How close are these manuscripts to each other, are there significant differences? Which are considered "canon"?	90
Was there any attempt between 2560 BC and 1311 AD (almost 4000 years) to build something larger the Great Pyramid of Giza?	88
After the Battle of Hastings, was there any attempt by the Celtic tribes/nations to re-conquer the lands from the Anglo-Saxons?	72
According to a recent BBC article, the roots of "overwork culture" can be traced back to the 'Protestant work ethic' in the 16th Century – a worldview held by white Protestants in Europe. Who were the non-White Protestants in Europe and why didn't they share the 'Protestant work ethic'?	49
Why are so many chateaus in France and why are so many of them abandoned?	46

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