The Rising Sun rises again — Like Germany, Japan is undergoing a significant transformation in its defense policies, and the effects could be felt across East Asia. After World War II, both countries adopted a pacifist approach, vowing never to attack their neighbors again. However, the winds of change are blowing, and Japan’s long-standing pacifist approach…

The beef between the Byzantine and Holy “Roman” Emperor — The Franks had done something terrible. Although there already was a Roman emperor, residing in Constantinople, the Frankish king Charlemagne had himself crowned as Roman emperor, too! This was not just a usurpation; it shattered Rome’s legacy, and indeed Christianity, forever. The Franks, having hitherto called the emperor in Constantinople…

Charlemagne was an upstart usurper — Ah, the Romans. Who doesn’t want to be like them? Ever since the legions conquered an empire from the border of Scotland to the deserts of Arabia, many European empires have tried to imitate, claim or even continue Rome’s legacy. From the First French Empire under Napoleon to Fascist Italy…

The Sword of God personally scaled Damascus — Khalid ibn al-Walid was a daring commander and a brilliant strategist. His exploits greatly contributed to the rapid expansion of the first Islamic caliphate. …

The USA was not the only one that struggled — Vietnam has seen its fair share of invasions, both in modern and medieval times. Usually it were the Chinese who meddled in Vietnamese affairs, with varying results. In the 20th century, one of the world’s superpowers, the United States, tried the same and failed spectacularly. How did the Vietnamese fare…

She may be history’s most genocidal saint — Olga of Kyiv ruled the Rus’ — a medieval people in Ukraine who were related to the Vikings — for over 15 years. She is known chiefly for her christianizing influence on the Rus’ lands during her later years in power. …

The Battle of Bouvines — Thousands of knights and even more infantrymen fought each other near the then-Flemish town of Bouvines in 1214 CE. The Kingdom of France went head-to-head against the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of England, and the County of Flanders. …

“When the sun lost its wonted light” — Can you imagine the sun disappearing for 18 months straight? A thick, impenetrable fog covering the greater part of three continents? A lack of shadows all around on account of the feeble light? …