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This once tiny fishing village was able to prosper because of the help given from a prince and even formed an alliance with China.
South Asia, Economic -
By attracting Muslim warriors wanting to take back land from Christians, the Ottomans were not only able to come back from a crushing defeat from the Timur, Sultan Mehmet was able to capture this holy city.
Middle East, Religion -
This is mostly due to the many diverse cultures no longer being held together by a common ruler, and subsequently clashing.
West Africa, Social -
Timur (or as the Europeans called him, Tamerlane) was not a khan by blood, but ended up dubbing himself as such. He went on to defeat that sultan in Anatolia, and would have invaded China had he not died in 1405.
Middle East, Social -
Mixed farming and cattle-herding are what brought Great Zimbabwe prosperity. The ruins of this city are one of the most famous ruins in sub-Saharan Africa.
West Africa, Area/ Geography -
This invasion was possible because of internal strife and the segregation of several Indian states. Mongol forces further up north saw this weakness and seized the opportunity to take Delhi.
South Asia, Social -
Incredibly accurate eclipse predictions and tables were created by Il-Khan astronomers. Even Kublai Khan summoned a team of Iranians to Beijing to build an observatory for him.
Middle East, Intellectual/ Arts -
This journey was arguably the most memorable event of the Mali empire. Musa injected so much gold into the Cairo economy when he passed by that it remained inflated for several years after.
West Africa, Economic -
The capture of this trading state was due to efforts of one sultan to expand the territory of the Delhi Sultanate.
South Asia, Political -
This dynasty was able to reach prosperity because of its involvement in the trade of amber, slaves, and animal pelts taking place in the Red Sea.
West Africa, Political -
This battle was one of the very few in which the Mongol cavalry was bested, mostly because they shared some of the same war techniques (connected by similar tradition.
Middle East, Area/ Geography -
Sultan Iltutmish decided that his sons were inept to rule (and rightfully so), but Raziya's reign was a short one, lasting only four years, as the Turkish chiefs below her dethroned her and indirectly caused her death.
South Asia, Religion -
The Mali empire was founded by an indigenous African dynasty, most of whom were already converted to Islam. It lasted roughly two centuries.
West Africa, Religion -
It is highly likely that Genghis Khan himself did not take over Iran, but one of his many generals. These armies were allowed to increase in size because of more and more non-Mongol nomads serving in them.
Middle East, political -
Around this time, northwest India was divided into several states, which made them ineffective in combating outside forces. In 1206, one Muslim general appointed himself Sultan and had the Delhi sultanate made official.
South Asia, Area/ Geography -
Though this was considered to be a holy city, by the Fourth Crusade, the knights cared so little for religious ardor that they sacked it for funds to transport their army by ship.
Europe, Religion -
Military values had been increasing more and more in this period, and the Kamakura Shogunate was the first of three decentralized military governments in this period of Japan's history.
East Asia, Political -
Formerly called the Jurchens, these belligerent nomads turned on their Song allies after they had aided them in destroying the Liao. Their agricultural methods included both hunter-gatherer techniques and farming.
East Asia, Economic -
Around this time, trade on the East African coast created a mix of Arabian and Bantu language into something new. This trade caused great wealth for these cities.
East Africa, Political -
This artwork was made entirely of embroidery by women, though it is not certain if those women were simply artisans or noblewomen.
Europe, Social -
This novel was written by a Fujiwara Japanese noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu, and is exceptionally celebrated in Japanese literature.
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William the Conqueror, a duke from France, invaded Britain which at the time was being held by Anglo-Saxons. He was known as the first Norman king of England.
Europe, Political -
The Koryo were an elite house in early Korea, and it is from their name that "Korea" is derived. They supported Buddhism.
East Asia, Religion -
Their elite prided themselves on their pastoral traditions, and the fact that they did not focus on any particular culture officially. At this time, Buddhism outweighed Confucianism by far.
East Asia, Social -
Coming from the Arabian Peninsula, traders took their religion with them to possible converts father west.
East Africa, social -
The Carolingian family used military effectiveness to take over all of Gaul and parts of Germany and Italy. Their economic system of land-based wealth remained even after their decline with the death of Charlemagne's son.
Europe, Economic -
This was accomplished by a raiding party taking over Spain from the Visigoths, later moving on to France after pushing the rest of the christian chieftains into the mountains further north.
Europe, Area/ Geography -
Nara, one of Japan's early capitals, holds evidence of ancient Chinese wooden architecture techniques. The Todaiji temple, in which the "eye opening" ritual took place, was also situated near Nara
East Asia, Intellectual/ Arts -
Routes along the river valleys and more fertile parts of sub-Saharan Africa became more prosperous due to increased access to naval routes, like Sofala and Kilwa.
East Africa, Economic -
This dominant land-holding family took over much of Korea with the Tang's help. However, when the Tang declined, their land was taken over by the Koryo.
East Asia, Area/ Geography -
This was made possible by monsoons, which helped propel the sails. East Africa also traded slaves, gold, iron, and ivory with China.
East Africa, Area/ Geography -
At this time, Ethiopia was a Christian state, and it did not fall like the Christian Nubian empires near it.
East Africa, Religion