In the movie "The Fall" (2006) after the main character unmasks himself, the narrator describes him as being French, and then he makes this gesture to his traveling companions: https://i.imgur.com/T99o2pQ.jpg . Does anyone know if this is a real hand sign/salute of French origin?

For context, The Fall takes place in 1915 in the real world, but uses a frame narrative to tell a fantasy story which is more in line with the early 19th century (the main character, for example, uses a brace of flintlock pistols a la Zorro) which is similar to the pulp adventures that were popular during this period. The gesture appears to specifically denote that the character is French, as he only uses it the once right after he is introduced as such. The sequence goes as follows:

GIRL: I thought he was Spanish.

NARRATOR: No, he was French.

MC: [performing gesture] Are you with me, bandits [pronounced "bandeets"]?

OTHERS: Oui, mon capitaine!

I am guessing that this is some sort of French military salute or something associated with the Foreign Legion, but I haven't been able to find anything substantive to back that up from searching online. I'm hoping that someone versed in either French or military history would be able to confirm the salute in question, how it was used, and whether it has been replaced or is still in practice today.

How much would people in the 1500s have known about Vikings and medieval Scandinavian/Germanic culture? Specifically, people in Frisia, north Germany, and Scandinavia?

"Did ships board each other while under sail?"

I posted in a post earlier but realize this thread might be a better format for it.

My understanding of naval warfare was that pre-modern era naval battles were mainly decided through boarding, as naval artillery wasn't strong enough to force a decision. That supposedly changed gradually from the mid-16th century onward as ship artillery and tactics improved.

There is probably more to be said as to why the change happened than just technology (and I'm happy to hear it) - but my specific question is if sailing ships historically went for boardings while under sail... or if they went for boardings while under the power of oars?

The Pirates of the Carribean portrayal never sat right with me - it must be damn hard to sail up alongside another ship for boarding unless they are cooperating. So how did North European Cogs and other ships do in the 10-12th centuries? Did they switch to oars like the Byzantine Dromons when going into battle?

What exactly does "attaint" mean as shown in this example?

In 1540, Cromwell fell from favour and was attainted and executed

My dictionary was not very helpful.

Hello! My wife is trying to figure out what some abbreviations on her great grandfathers headstone mean and we’re not sure. Beneath his and his wife’s names it says:

1893 G. R. 1917 1917 G. R. 1917

Any ideas?

Hi guys! Really specific to english speakers, but I really want to know what are the rules, in english, for translating/not translating first names of people who lived in the Middle Age. More precisely for byzantine first name (and not just the emperors). Do you use the english equivalent (Timothy) or keep the greek one with roman alphabet (Timotheos)?

Did the back rows of a phalanx pass their spears forward when the spears of the front rows broke?

As a lay historian with a good but not great grasp on the French Revolution, which of these three books would you recommend:

Popkin's A New World Begins: The History of the French Revolution (2019)

Schama's Citizens (1990)

Hazan's A People's History of the French Revolution (2014)

I would like to read one of these 3 - and then I plan on reading Lefebvre's The Coming of the French Revolution

I heard somewhere that Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus’ native language was German, not Swedish. Is that true? If so, why?

Are there any pictures of 1500s Khanate Armor?

I know the Crimean Khanate lasted into the 1600s but I haven’t been able to find what their armor and weapons would’ve looked like from 1500-1600s ad.

Considering they're pretty close with each other, how did Persia and China dealt with the steppe nomadic tribe's horse archers? How did they defeat and deal with them, both in battles between armies and when the latter are raiders/bandits?

Did the Byzantines refer to the Seljuks as Turkmen or some variation thereof?

This is a quote from the book Japanese: A Linguistic Introduction by Yoko Hasegawa:

"Japanese society, during much of the period in which the script was developed, was characterized by the existence of an aristocratic class many members of which lacked political power or indeed any serious employment, so that their only role in life was as definers and producers of cultural norms, ways of civilized living . . . As a natural result, many aspects of Japanese culture, including its writing, were greatly elaborated, made exquisite and intellectually rich rather than straightforwardly functional. (This contrasts with the case of China, which at most periods of its history was a rather down-to-earth, workaday civilization and where the script, for instance, was shaped in the historical period largely by civil servants who had plenty to keep them busy.)"

I actually have a friend taking an (undergrad) class related to this and he said that what he has been learning corroborates this.

My question is: how was this stable? Or perhaps another way to ask is, if you had a class of rich people with no real political power, how were they sort of getting away with existing? What role did they play in that society? Where they just puppets for the people in the Shogunate that had real power? If so, were the people with real power/wealthy simply willing to give them a luxurious enough life to maintain legitimacy? If not, why didn't the people with power just kill them off? Hope the intent of the question makes sense!

I think I once heard something about the Song dynasty (China) dealt with the steppe nomads by using agriculture, making the usually dry plain into wet by planting rice farms there.

Since this one is really just a "I read it once in some place, I don't know where", can anyone confirm or disprove it, and maybe give reference to this?

Did Edward Teach (Blackbeard) have a parrot?

I'm looking for reading regarding the Algerian Crisis, specifically the debates that took place in France prior to the 1961 referendum, what/who convinced de Gaulle to support Algerian independence, and the backlash that culminated in the Algiers Putsch.

I'm more interested in the arguments (on both sides) that were made in French politics at the time than I am in a detailed chronology.

Where did the word Holocaust come from, and when did people start using it to refer to Nazi mass murder?

Is there any new scholarship or books about the Iranian intermezzo in English? Just asking, because it seems that the only book talking about it is Cambridge history of Iran vol.4 and it's rather old.

Could anyone share some examples of bad medicine people used in medieval times? The sort that would have probably made a person sicker? I’m specifically curious about things like salves/poultices.

Was Aristotle a Macedonian spy?

Are there any notable relievings-of-command similar to Mattis/Dowdy?

Is Blood and Soil by Ben Kiernan a good book?

From Amos Elon's The Pity of It All, a history of Jews in Germany, 1743-1933:

The first volume of Hitler's Mein Kampf was published in 1925. Few people read it. The quality press rarely reported Hitler's speeches in Munich's Krone Circus, where he fulminated against Jews, Democrats, and French bananenfresser (banana guzzlers).

What did Hitler mean by this? Was there some stereotype of French people liking bananas? Is he calling them monkeys?

What happened to the Soviet lease of the Hanko Peninsula as a naval base after WW2?

Did the Soviets just terminate the lease early?

As I understand it, the officers in the terra cotta army do not carry weapons, and this is often taken as a sign of a highly professional corps of dedicated leaders in Qin. Did Chinese officers resume carrying weapons later, and when?

does anyone know any princes that were also bards or poets who were also exiled (preferably ones with a huge impact in history)? Edit: I wanted to make it a little more challenging.

How long would it have taken to travel from England to Japan in the late 19th century?

Exactly what it says, I was wondering how long it would have taken to travel from England to Japan in the late 19th century? Around the 1870s/1880s. Also, how much would the journeys have cost, roundabout?

2/22/22 is a fun date. 11/11/1111 is even better. Are there instances of folks pointing out or noticing that date at the time?

Hi, was sent here by a Mod after trying to post a full thread.

Are there any good examples of premodern schizophrenic beliefs? I watched the Unibomber movie and was browsing /r/conspiracy and noticed they're very tech-focused. For example are there any fragments of Egyptian paranoia of the ramp/lever, or were they likely religion-focused, and is there any speculation on sources that survive? Thanks!

Did the bin Laden family construction company suffer any American security concerns or hesitations between Osama's start of infamy and 2002?

iS THE mONGOLIAN-mATAR ORIGIN OF STEAK TATARE/HAMBURGERS TRUE?

IS THE SHROUD OF TURIN THE FIRST RECORDED PHOTOGRAPH?

I recently came across this article https://repository.up.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2263/16857/Allen_Shroud(1993).pdf and remembered seeing a show on the shroud that claimed that it may have been produced by Leonardo Da Vinci using a cloth soaked in a solution of silver salts and a camera obscured. Any thoughts?

In the show ‘band of brothers’ one paratrooper says his shoe size is “9, same as everyone else”, when requesting new boots at Bastogne. Does anyone know if this is a realistic depiction of the US military’s approach to outfitting troops on the front in WW2?

The year 2038 bug is a known bug which will affect Unix system storing dates in a signed 32-bit integer. I've made some searches on Google, but I can't figure out when this bug was "discovered" and introduced to public.

Does someone knows it please?

Thanks!

Were there other clandestine forces in Nazi Germany in spite of the already known ones?

I am studying the Nazi experience in Germany, especially with regard to the forces of repression that acted in Germany, at the behest of Hitlerism. I already know that there were groups like the SA, the SS and the Gestapo (the secret service of the Third Reich). These units served as auxiliaries for the political police and for the repression of any type of resistance not only in the Nazi State, but in all Europe that was occupied by the Germans. In addition, there was also the Nazi Army (Wehrmacht).

What I would like to know is if, in addition to these paramilitary forces already widely known by historians of Nazi Germany, there were other groups of armed civilians in rural or urban areas that also fulfilled the mission of supporting Nazism.

When did the modern “American” accent become the norm in the United States?

in pitched battle of napoleonic war

why an army do not attack in advance while the opposing army is still arranging their troops?

I’m a late night googling junkie, I love seeking knowledge and I get high off of learning new things esp seeing things related to history politics. I’m a history novice but I try to be educated, can you recommend me some interesting historical events I could research or watch documentaries about?

Did rulers ever lie about winning clear defeats to cover up their failures or not lose confidence from subjects?

It is often asserted that McClellan would have won the 1864 US presidential election but for Sherman’s victory in Atlanta. Is there any notable evidence supporting or rejecting this claim?

A popular internet factoid says that 'eye of newt' was just an old timey name for mustard seed-- people especially love to mention this in the context of Macbeth and the three witches brewing a potion. Is there any truth to this?

All sources I can find online link back to some random blog post that's been deleted, so it seems like somebody just made it up a few years ago but it caught on.

Other than Germany, Austria and Korea, were other countries split at the end of WWII?

Are there any Hansards records for goverment of Germany under Hitler or were they all conveniently destroyed in an "accidental" fire or something?

Where there any contemporary accounts contesting the maidenhood of Frances patron saint Jeanne d'Arc?

How long have swings, as part of a children's playground / personal toy, been a thing?

Just want to fact check
Is it true that during medieval time that people thought the rainbow was a sign that God was coming down?

What is the (elaborate) definition of "historical trajectory" regarding the field of History?

I've seen the following quote attributed to Alexander the Great in a few places, mostly quote compilations or blog posts about military logistics.

"My logisticians are a humorless lot ... they know if my campaign fails, they are the first ones I will slay."

Does anyone recognize this from any of the primary sources on Alexander, and if so what was the context? It's been a few years since I read my Arrian etc. but this sentiment feels... somewhat out of character for Alexander.

So I've been doing some research and I've read a lot about the Sainte-Chappelle in Paris - how it was used to division and social hierarchy with the 'lower level' and 'upper level', and how the King was closest to god by being in the upper level.

I was curious if there are some other great architectural feats / buildings that have a similar history? Been interested in this topic for a little

During the period between 1933 and 1941, was there an armed peace between the USSR and Germany?

What does it mean for a state to be centralized?

What did medieval era battles actually look like? I've seen many comments that say Hollywood depictions are wildly inaccurate.

I would really appreciate some help here as I desperatly need it for some work, would someone be able to point me in the right direction of finding a complete comprehensive list of all territories and colonies the Japanese empire had up intill 1945, from the large colonies such as Taiwan to the very smallest lands like Poluwat.

I cant for the life of me find a complete list, for example https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territories_acquired_by_the_Empire_of_Japan seems to be missing out a huge amount in terms of the smaller possessions

I thank you in advance for even reading this kind regards

When did humans become aware that the minerals they were mining were non renewable and could be depleted?

how accurate is the death toll of 1.8 billion indians in the British raj? it seems that the number is a product of the genocide olympics, but the claimant does seem to cite their sources so I would just like some clarification.

Which musket were the first that didnt blind their users?

Where is the original Ab urbe condita? Do we have any original works from Livy?

Are there any recorded cases of black people passing the notoriously difficult voting registration tests of the 60s? https://www.openculture.com/2014/07/literacy-test-louisiana-used-to-suppress-the-black-vote.html

What treaties did indigenous people break with the United States?

How did Narmer/Menes die?

I watched a History Vault show that said he died from a hippo attack. Is that true? If so, what are the details surrounding this?

Specific to the Netherlands, was there a policy in the 50s/60s of checking personal cars so they could be impounded if war were to break out? Apparently my grandfather once told my dad that his car was good enough to be on the list of cars to be impounded if war would break out. I'm curious if there's any source agreeing with this

I'm writting an extended essay on Blitzkrieg and I need to use some actual examples of Germans "using blitzkrieg" during those campaigns. I mean not just that they defeated for example, Poles by using tanks and advancing rapidly but more of a description of using this "tactic" during battles, how they did it, what were their movements. Do you know any articles, journals, books where it was described how Germans actually formed a spearhead with tanks and infantry and advanced during battles during WWII? I cannot find it anywhere.

Are there any contemporary writings about Lincoln's voice and how it sounded?

With the recent docudrama about his life on the History Channel, I'm very curious as to which is closer: The depiction in the drama or his portrayal by Daniel Day Lewis. I know he died before the phonograph, but surely as a Great man of history, people wrote about his voice?

What distinguishes non-normative hieroglyphics in Mayan codices from other hieroglyphics? Is it just really bad handwriting?

Why did Communist China in the 1990s give military training to university students, and why did it include women?

I remember asking my mother about her experience in China, and she mentioned that they spent a month training for the military while in university. They spent a day firing rifles, and these girls who couldn't even pick up a rifle due to the weight; I'm not saying women can't fight, but these were network engineering management students. The question I had constantly while hearing this was... why? Can anyone provide historical context?

ok last time seemed a little too easy. so this time, does anyone know any princes that were also bards or poets who were also exiled (preferably ones with a huge impact in history)?

Were there any Army Air Force personnel on the ground in the Battle of the Bulge?

Has any Kings, Presidents or any political leader in history that was killed during a meeting with another nation?

I was watching “The King” and when the French King met the King of England, I thought if there’s any chance that other kings that did this might have been killed during this type of meeting because they’re in an enemy territory where they only have a couple of guards to protect them.

Which were common adjectives describing "Jews" vs "Aryans" or "The German People" in Nazi Propaganda, (pseudo)science and the like from the 20's onwards till the wars end?

Could one say that Kievan Rus’ was the beginning of Russia?

who is associated with the creation of “romantic chess”(the style of chess that was prevalent from the 18th century)?

Difference between colonialism and imperialism?

Reading about both of them feels that they are very similar for example the roman empire divided the land they took over as provinces where the local population had no control over the laws which governed them and also resource extraction was done solely for the benefit of rome also a roman citizen had special rights and privileges. This way of governing looks very similar to the british empire which was a colonial power even though in some cases they had limited self government subservient to the crown

I am not talking about settler colonialism in countries like the us or canada i am more interested in their rule over countries like india, pakistan, malaysia etc where the local population was not replaced by a colonial power and they were more concerned with resource extraction