After doing some research on WW1, I constantly find that battles involved many 'Baron {Name} of {City/State} on the German side...

After the unification, did the Princes of the German states still hold any power? If so, what kind of influence would they have had on Politics and Socioeconomic within the German Empire..?

I am looking for an animated gif map which shows how Russia over time and the changing territories of other neighboring nations--something similar to maps found in Europa Universalis.

And by the way, I did some searching and it seems I can't find much information on Russia. I couldn't even find a population density map (dot maps), and neither are there any images of places of particular interest for Siberia and Far East. Why is this??

It's basically that, I've been searching the internet for the answer to this question but I only get information about their state-owned oil industry. Can anyone give me the answer?

Popular images of pirates include wooden legs (Long John Silver) and a hook replacing a hand (Captain Hook).

I wondered, is any truth behind the perception of pirate prosthetics during the Golden Age of piracy, or in the greater maritime community? Were pirates disproportionately likely to have prosthetics? If not, do those popular images arise from later fiction works like Treasure Island and Peter Pan?

I'm guessing tobacco was introduced early after Columbus's expiditions but how quickly did tobacco smoking become a part of social life in the Muslim world? Also, was there any religious opposition to the smoking of tobacco akin to the ban on alcohol consumption?

Saw the post in TIL about the Hitler and Mannerheim Recording, and remembered that I always wondered about the way "big guys" talk in reality. We know plenty of dramatizations, we have tons of conspiracy theories written about each historical decision, big and small - but do we also have the real thing? Recordings (written or audio) of local or international leaders engaged in private talk which resulted in decisions being made.

When I say foreign, I mean foreign as in from outside the empire's borders, not foreign cuisines within the empire.

First, I would like to apologize if this is not the correct subreddit for this question. It seems to be somewhere that this question would be answered from a wide range of circumstances.

I am wondering if anyone has pursued or completed a MA or PhD in History(or a closely related subject) in the country their study focused on? I am considering moving to St. Petersburg to pursue a MA in History and potentially a PhD.

I am looking for details related to your experience. Was there something to be gained from studying from a local perspective? Do you think you have a better perspective of that history, having learned it locally? Did you write your thesis in the local language or your native language?

Thank you all and I look forward to your responses

Comedy and satire are ubiquitous human traits and are used to great effect as entertainment but I'm extremely interested in the history of comedy/satire as an essential counterpoint to the human condition, specifically as a palatable way to highlight pressing issues.

I'd like to know more about cultures that recognised the necessity of a sacred clown as a balance to serious issues and a means of highlighting societal problems, such as the Lakota with their "heyoka", who seemed to be regarded more as religious figures than entertainment.

Is this a sacred clown a common cultural phenomenon?

(In contrast to someone such as Aristophenes who although serving the same function essentially, was first an entertainer and then a social commentator, as opposed to the other way around.)

I look at modern issues such as gay marriage and there is such a passionate divide that seems as if it can never be eliminated. I can only imagine how difficult it was in Germany to convince people what they have been told was wrong.

1. Did the Romans really have a dedicated 'elite' force? A unit that was admired by both soldiers and citizens alike? If so, what was it and what did they do?
2. How were Praetorians (guardsmen) viewed by soldiers on campaign throughout the history of the Empire? At what points were they in favor, when were they out of favor? And can you explain why?
3. What exactly did Septimius Severus do to the Praetorian guard in order to transform it into an elite unit? Did his reformations manage to survive?
4. Can you briefly explain how a Roman would join the Praetorian guard, his training regimen, and what he typically did (throughout the history of the Empire)?
5. Was it deemed more honorable to be serving as a cavalryman or a foot soldier during the events of the late Republic, and subsequent Empire? And why exactly?
6. Did the Romans have a paramilitary/intelligence gathering/reconnaissance force? IF so, what did they typically do on campaign?

Thanks

If so, what were the sights, must see, must buy, ect.