Before we dive into the analysis, first thing’s first—what’s so special about the year 1444? It was the year of the Battle of Varna. That’s when the Ottoman army defeated the Hungari… See more

One of the most immediately obvious details of this map of medieval Europe is how fragmented Western Europe was at the time. This vast array of independent territories t… See more

While the Holy Roman Empire was highly fragmented, other empires were much more unified. For instance, the Ottoman Empire had a much more centralized governing s… See more

Historical maps are fascinating because they provide a snapshot of the world as it once was (but no longer is). As previously mentioned, Europe’s borders were (and still are) consta… See more