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Letters & Post in the Ancient World
Letters and their delivery via a state communication system was a feature of many ancient cultures. The writing medium may have differed but the Mesopotamians...
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The “Columbian Exchange” in the 15th century
An infographic illustrating the exchange of diseases, animals, plants, populations, and technology between the Americas, Africa, and Eurasia in the...
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Definition
Juan de Grijalva
Juan de Grijalva (aka Grijalba, 1489-1527) was a Spanish conquistador who explored the eastern coast of Mexico in 1518. His notable achievements included...

Definition
Spanish Requirement
The Spanish Requirement or Requerimiento was a document intended to be read out to and agreed upon by indigenous peoples during the Spanish conquest...

Article
Turquoise in Mesoamerica
Turquoise was a highly-prized material in ancient Mesoamerica, perhaps the most valued of all materials for sacred and decorative art objects such as...

Image Gallery
The Royal Tombs of Fontevraud Abbey
Fontevraud Abbey in the Pays de la Loire region of France was founded in 1101 by Robert D'Arbrissel. This area of France was then controlled by the...

Definition
Civilization
Civilization (from the Latin civis=citizen and civitas=city) is a term applied to any society which has developed a writing system, government, production...

Interview
Interview: King of the World by Matt Waters
In this interview, World History Encyclopedia sits down with author Matt Waters to chat about his new book King of the World: The Life of Cyrus the...

Article
The Silver of the Conquistadors
The Spanish conquistadors might have gained a lasting reputation as the great gold-seekers of history, but they were actually far more successful in...

Article
Cyrus the Great's Conquests
The estimated expanse of the Achaemenid Empire at its height c. 500 BCE was two million square miles. Most of this territory was conquered by Cyrus...

Definition
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) was the last major European conflict informed by religious divisions and one of the most devastating in European history...

Definition
Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus (l. 1594-1632; r. 1611-1632) was the King of Sweden who elevated his country to a major power in the 17th century. He also is traditionally...

Definition
Flight to Varennes
The Flight to Varennes was a pivotal moment of the French Revolution (1789-1799), in which King Louis XVI of France (r.1774-92), his wife Queen Marie...

Definition
Ancient Afghanistan
The ancient history of Afghanistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia, is full of fascinating cultures, from early nomadic tribes to the realms of...