Was there much of a formal banking system in medieval Europe, Arabia, or Asia? How did these systems develop? How did lending money and transactions go?

I use the term 'gentlemen's agreement' for the lack of a better word.

I was watching Band of Brothers, and in one episode, the Germans stop firing when an American troop runs out into the middle. Another American made the remark 'They must think he's a medic or something.' This got me thinking. Was there some form of agreement to not fire on medics?

During Christmas in 1914, there was football match between the German and British soldiers, so it doesn't seem too unlikely that this type of agreement existed.

Could the bicycle only have been built when it was because of its complexity, or could any metalworking society in history build some kind of bike if they had the knowledge on how to do so? It baffles me why this invention was created so recently when it doesn't seem to be too complicated and is powered only by human energy. But maybe I am underestimating its intricicity.

What kinds of food would I be storing up to survive?

If I'm on a farm, what needs to happen on that farm for it to be 'ready' for winter?

Do I need to give anything to my lord as payment? (I assume he too needs to store up food for winter).

Will I break out any 'winter clothes', or will I just be cold?

What else would I do?

Sorry if this has been asked before.

How did China win the Korean War?

If the statue of liberty suddenly turned another color there would be quite a public discussion, I would think. What was the discussion then

Additionally, are there any famous pictures of it looking black?

It's my understanding a thesis stating Stalin wanted to attack Germany just weeks after Barbarossa is supported by some, however I've yet to read of any written sources or orders I assume would precede an attack of such a scale. The evidence presented by "Viktor Suvorov" included maps given out to troops on the border of Germany and German-occupied countries but not of the Soviet held territories, and what seems like a number of ideological reasons for aggression.

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Hello,

I have read parts of Candida Moss's book The Myth of Persecution but I am more interested in the very early history of the church (as opposed to the 'lions in the arena' persecution era). Traditional stories about Peter being crucified upside down, Thomas being martyred in India, and Andrew being crucified on an X-shaped cross abound church tradition; what got me interested was looking at the Scottish flag, based on the Cross of St Andrew. I also read that the Vatican claims to have found the remains of Paul along with some purple linen.

How much of the traditional story is accurate and do we know for certain which early Christians and apostles were martyred, which were simply killed in non-martyrdom circumstances (I.e. executed without being told to renounce Christ first) and which just disappear off the map?

Thanks

I was wondering seeing as most of the prevalent languages are French and German, and during the time of the early Holy Roman Empire, they were subjects to the Emperor.

It seems to me that he would have cared about the country, since he was general during the Civil War.

And subsequently, I often hear that many administrations from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were corrupt, is there truth to this, and in what ways and why?

Mahavamsa refers to three visits by the Buddha to Sri Lanka. Is this historically correct? Did the Buddha ever visit Sri Lanka?

As the title say, what made the Guard such an elite, capable, fighting force?