Greetings brothers and sisters,

I have a question that I was hoping to get some peer counseling on. I am currently finishing up my M.A. My research area is Scandinavian Mercenaries during the Viking Age. More or less I am arguing that these hired swords played a much larger role in Medieval history than has been previously acknowledged. In addition to that, I'm also hoping to dispell some of the negative stigma that surrounds the term 'mercenary' while also discussing how the environment played a role in making mercenary work an attractive career choice during the Viking Age.

My question, however, is where do I go to study something like this at a Ph.D. level? Do I apply to History programs or Scandinavian Studies ones? I've sent a few e-mails around to schools like Aberdeen, Cornell, Washington, and Minnesota, but so far I haven't really heard a definitive answer.

Also, I know next to nothing about European and Scandinavian universities. What I know about Aberdeen I gathered from the last conference in Kalamazoo.

Does anybody have any experience or recommendations for me?

tldr: where does one go to study Vikings at a Ph.D. level?

Thanks in advance and sorry in advance if this isn't ask historians worthy.

*edited to include brothers of the female persuasion.

Holding a shield with your right hand would mess up being in a line with fellow right handed soldiers. How big of a issue would this be in armies such like the Roman Empire etc?

Typically between the 13th century and 15th

Was wondering this whilst watching GoT, because those ravens have become as efficient as text. How long did ravens actually take to travel hundreds of miles, and what was the success rate of them?

Very simples question.

The Ancient Egypt's priests had an equivalent to the norse Ragnarok for exemple? And if they had what it was?

Is there a book (in English) about how politics and political thoughts evolved in France throughout the entire eventful 19th century?

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Nothing but pictures of fantasy stuff show up on Google searches.

I'm trying to recreate historically accurate flags both of the Crusades and Knights Templar, as well as Knights Templar garb.

Factoring in archeological finds of flags and garb, what did they look like? Has anyone taken pictures of what they have found?

If anyone could post pictures of real archeological finds from the Crusades and Knights Templar, I'd really appreciate it.

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I've never understood why. The Nazi's Admiral stated that he had "no confidence" that he could keep the English Channel open long enough for Sea Lions force to pass the channel, but with Germany's ridiculously overpowering air presence, why didn't they just decimate the Royal Navy?

It seems so counter-intuitive to us now - who was responsible for its popularisation and continued use?

What was training like for normal infantry soldiers and officers? Where would it take place? How long would it be?

I'm interested in all nations and any information you think is relevant even if it doesn't directly answer my question.

Cheers!

Simple question.

I have read and heard so many times that the political borders between kingdoms during the middle ages (whether it's high or late) were very blurry. People had a general idea of regions being under control of one kingdom or lord but it was not a clear precise border like it was depicted on maps.

Them, if that is the case, why is it that every single map I've seen that represent the political reality of medieval Europe has clear cragged borders?

I think my question can apply to maps from the high or late middles as well as northern, western of eastern Europe. But for the sake of rules, if needs be, we can focus on Western Europe maps for the period of 13th to 15th century.

I know that other slave states, like Missouri and Kentucky, remained in the Union, but Maryland was different from those states in that it was one of the original 13 colonies, and had a plantation based slave economy since it's creation. I'm wondering why it didn't secede with Virginia and the rest of the Old South?

I was talking with my wife about this, and she posited that Maryland had a different history than the rest of the South, since it was set up as a colony for English Catholics, and that areas with a large Catholic population were — for whatever reason — more pro-Union, like New Orleans. However, it seems that the uniquely Catholic character of Maryland had been lost by the time of the war, and the demographic makeup of white Marylanders isn't different from that of other white Southerners (i.e. Protestant and of English of Ulster Scots heritage) so that seems implausible. I've also had the thought that perhaps elements of the state did want to secede, but the United States government was very conscious of keeping Maryland in the Union, to keep DC from being an enclave in the Confederacy.

With regards to DC, although it's long been an urban area without the land for a plantation economy, it's my understanding that nearly 1/3 of the population was enslaved, and that it was a culturally southern city well into the 20th century. Were there strong Confederate sympathies in the city? Was there ever an attempt at pro-Confederate insurrection (i.e. an uprising by the population, not an incursion from the outside) during the War? Did the government feel that the President was safe so close to the border, or were there suggestions that Lincoln and his cabinet be relocated deeper into Union territory?

I realize that both sides did some terrible things, but is there any evidence to show who threw the first punch?

EDIT: Oops, title should be "Have spelling mistakes in ancient..."

My wife and I are driving across country, and she asked me this question. We both thought posing it here might get us clearer answers than our postulating. Thanks!

Suppose I'm a Saxon (or Angle, or Jute even) from around 500 AD. What sort of clothes do I wear? How do I decorate my house? (What sort of house do I live in, for that matter?) Who made my baskets, clothing, etc; and how did I get it? Also, how do these things change with my social class?