Medieval History/Expert Profile

Expertise

I'll be glad to answer any question related to Medieval Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the rise of Islam and Christianity during the period 300-1500.

Experience in the area

I've studies history for nearly 20 years. I'm currently also volunteering in the US and European history catergories.

What do you like about this subject?

I like studying the interactions between the barbarians and the Romans. I also like learning about how the barbarians settled and created the nations of modern Europe. Finally, I like studying the competition for power between religious and secular authority.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I hope to achieve a more complete understanding of how the Middle Ages transitioned into the early modern period.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

The word for "foreigner" in Arabic is "franj," which refers to the Franks, the tribe whom Arabs considered to be the main participants in the Crusades.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Timeless treasures, such as the writings of Aristotle, Plato, and other ancient masters, would have been lost if not for work of Arab scholars who translated the works and copied themduring the Middle Ages. Jewish scholars in Muslim Spain then translated the writings from Arabic into Spanish and Italian, ciculated them, and therby helped to launch the Renaissance.