The greatest division in Muslim history came with the Sunni-Shi’a Schism. The disagreement centered on the differences between the Shi’a – supporters of Ali who believed that the caliph must be a blood descendent of the Prophet Muhammad. The other group, the Sunni, emphasized the primacy of the Sunna (examples from Muhammad’s life) and stressed that the caliph did not necessarily have to descend from Muhammad. The Sunni faction was led by . Ali was assassinated (likely under orders of this figure) and this Sunni leader became caliph. This marked the end of the Rashidun Caliphate and the beginning of the Umayyad Caliphate.

Although Egyptian pharaohs were predominantly male, a handful of women ascended to the Egyptian throne (often having to display themselves with male features in art and iconography in order to justify their rule). Perhaps the most famous female Egyptian pharaoh was . She ruled as regent for her stepson, Thutmose III (who later tried to erase any record of her ever having ruled). During her reign she emphasized trading, sponsored artists and architects, and oversaw the building of a magnificent structure at Deir el Bahri.

Under the system of feudalism, vassals would be awarded for their service with a fiefdom – usually a landed estate known as a manor. The economic power of the warrior class rested on this manorial system, and peasants often worked the fields under a system known as manorialism. Commoners who were personally free but were bound to the land and unable to leave were known as .

One of the best examples of Hellenistic artwork was . In this sculpture, the Greek values of human dignity and emotion are on full display.

Muslim rule in Medieval India practiced a form of accommodation with many Indian customs and religions. For example, Hindus came to be viewed as protected peoples (alongside Christians and Jews) and non-Muslims could live peacefully (though in separate spheres) alongside Muslims by paying an additional tax for non-Muslims called the .

An Ancient Indian cosmological concept known as was the idea of the reincarnation of souls by the continual process of rebirth. This concept was used by Ancient Indian religions such as Brahmanism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

Part of the High Middle Ages in Europe, was a revival of Christian thought, the developments of Gothic art and architecture, and a literary flowering of epics, poems, and romances. It was characterized by the construction of Gothic Cathedrals, the rise of universities, the development of scholasticism, the growth of towns, and a variety of intellectual developments

A consort of emperor Xuanzong (r. 713-756) in the Tang Dynasty, was a full-figured beauty whose looks and style influenced Tang standards of beauty. She was considered a distracting influence on Xuanzong, who was quite enamored with her and grew disinterested in the details of government. The emperor allowed her to place friends and relatives into important positions in government. One of her favorites, An Lushan, was a general who had received his position due to her influence; he rebelled against the emperor in 755 – an act which had devastating consequences to the Tang Dynasty. An Lushan’s rebellion led to the execution of Xuanzong’s favored consort.

was an eleventh century Muslim traveler who explored the Trans-Saharan Trade route. This character’s accounts are important historical sources about the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali.

​Abu Ubaydallah Al-Bakri​The Battle of Ayn Jalut​The Byzantine Empire​Benjamin Ben Jonah of Tudela​Cleopatra VII​The First Triumvirate​Gaius Gracchus​Gaius Marius​Great Zimbabwe​Harem​The Iconoclastic Controversy​Justinian’s Code​Madrasas​Mu’awiya​Odoacer​Queen Dido​Roman Mystery Cults​Shintoism​Sima Qian​St. Augustine of Hippo​St. Patrick​The Rule​The Sassanid Empire​The Second Triumvirate​The Silk Road​Sunna​Tertullian​The Trans-Saharan Trade​Yang Guifei​Zhu Seng Du