Factsheet: Indonesia's Election June 7th, 1999 by Borgna Brunner This article was posted on June 4, 1999.On the eve of Indonesia's first free parliamentary election since 1955, 48 political…
(Encyclopedia) Alfonso VI, 1030–1109, Spanish king of León (1065–1109) and Castile (1072–1109). He inherited León from his father, Ferdinand I. Defeated by his brother Sancho II of Castile, he fled…
(Encyclopedia) zakatzakatzə-kätˈ [key] [Arab.,=purification], Islamic religious tax, one of the five basic requirements (arkan or “pillars”) of Islam. All adult Muslims of sound mind and body with a…
compiled by Borgna Brunner Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyla) 1920–2005, pope (1978–2005) Birthplace: Wadowice, Poland Update: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger becomes…
WHY WAS THE FIRST CRUSADE CALLED? WHAT DID THE CRUSADERS BRING BACK TO EUROPE? FIND OUT MOREIn 1095, Pope Urban II called for a war against the Muslim rulers of Jerusalem. This was the First…
(Encyclopedia) BedouinBedouinbĕdˈ&oomacr;ĭn [key] [Arab.,=desert dwellers], primarily nomad Arab peoples of the Middle East, where they form about 10% of the population. They are of the same…
(Encyclopedia) MuawiyaMuawiyam&oomacr;äˈwēä [key], d. 680, 1st Umayyad caliph (661–80), one of the greatest Muslim statesmen; son of Abu Sufyan, a Koreish tribesman of Mecca. He submitted to…
(Encyclopedia) UmarUmar&oomacr;märˈ [key] or OmarUmarōˈmär [key], c.581–644, 2d caliph (see caliphate). At first hostile to Islam, he was converted by 618, becoming an adviser to Muhammad. He…
