I'm curious if there are any records of what the Habsburgs thought about their distinctive 'Habsburg jaw'. Did they notice that it was prevalent in their family, or did they think it was normal? If they did notice, what did they think caused it?

An additional question I have is, what did contemporaries think about their jaw? Did other royal families notice it? What did their royal painters think about it?

I know that the term "dark ages" are generally rejected by most modern historians, and that for the people living during this period, it was anything but dark, and that many of them probably maintained a standard of living similar to their ancestors. Nevertheless, one of the reasons we call the "dark ages" dark, is because that we have relatively few contemporary written sources from this era. Why are there so few written records from this era compared to earlier roman and later medieval eras?

I've been researching some primary sources like "Tale of Genji", the "Journal of Regent Fujiwara", and my personal favorite: "The Pillow Book". Sei Shonagon is really raw and sincere in her writing. I was wondering if any of you guys have a favorite primary source from Japan from the Heian period. Tell me why you like it! They could even come from other periods, I'm looking for fun new different perspectives to read.

pretty simple question that doesn't need much expansion imo

Repost on request of admin:

With my subpar internet reading, I'm finding it hard to discern what a Thegn was. My question refers mainly to the 10/11th centuries but I am interested in how the role changed over time.

Was there a Thegn for each village? Were they increasingly common, or more like a Norman Count or Baron?

It's my understanding that much of the united states (excluding the plains and deserts) was forested before being colonized.

Is this understanding correct, and if so, were tornadoes more uncommon or non-existent in most if the United States before all of the land was cleared?

There have been Christians throughout the last several centuries who believe Middle Eastern people and Jews in particular are inherently inferior people to their own race.

This is not the same as hating Jews for reasons related to doctrine or even because of inherited guilt for the deicide, as both of those hatreds fade when a Jew gets baptized. I mean modern anti-Semitism which hates Jews for their ethnicity and does not stop hating them if they convert

How have theologians reconciled racism with Jesus’ identity as a Jew living in the Middle East?

Browsing this reddit on a weekly basis, I was wondering if there have been "sites" like this one in the past? Of course, Sites means places, buildings or the likes where normal people could come and ask experts Questions regarding the past or other such topics. I am aware of Universitiy and places where people teach others, but I am strictly asking for places that are not like those.

To elaborate further, in popular media today, vikings are often shown to be less sexist and racist than other cultures of the time. (Ex. Letting women fight, black vikings, etc.) Is this historically accurate, and jf so, to what extent?

As I understand it, the laws of war (Geneva convention, etc.) apply equally to soldiers no matter which side is responsible for the war. So an invading Nazi soldier had the same right to kill a Polish soldier who was defending his home and family, as the Polish soldier had to kill the invader. Even if the invader’s victory over the defender enables the invader to commit atrocities, while the defender’s victory prevents that, under the laws of war both soldiers are combatants with the same rights to kill each other, and same restrictions on how they can go about it.

If someone breaks in to my house, intending to harm me or my family, I have the right to resist them with force, and my resistance does not give them the right to kill me. Yet if an invading army “breaks in” to a country, people who resist them with force are combatants and can be legally killed by the invaders.

How did this come about?

I’ve read Moby Dick several times, and I’m pretty sure it never says Ahab had a chin beard.

I'm assuming that the so called "tornado alley" has been a long standing weather pattern and could have affected any tribes living in the area.

Hello all,

Writing my Master's dissertation on Roman military leadership. Any and all suggestions for valid/interesting reading welcome.

NOTE: the values and principles behind Roman military leadership are also of interest, so fire away there as well.

Many thanks!