1. Adam of Usk’s Life and Chronicle
This year marks the composition of Adam of Usk’s will.
Answer: What is 1429?
These are the three main forms of historical writing in medieval England.
Answer: What are annals, chronicles, and histories?
This Chinese historical text was compiled by Sima Qian.
Answer: What is Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji)?
This theme is shared by both medieval European and Chinese historiography.
Answer: What is moral purpose in historical writing?
This king was deposed during Adam’s lifetime.
Answer: Who is Richard II?
This event led to Adam of Usk receiving a royal pardon in 1411.
Answer: What is his outlawry for adhering to the king’s enemies?
This thematic history was written by Bede in 731 CE.
Answer: What is Ecclesiastical History of the English People?
This principle emphasizes moral judgment in Chinese historical writing.
Answer: What is the Confucian principle of moral evaluation?
In medieval historiography, this is considered the ultimate endpoint of history.
Answer: What is the Day of Judgment?
This major uprising in 1381 is vividly described in Adam’s chronicle.
Answer: What is the Peasants’ Revolt?
Answer: What are 1377–1421?
This term describes the six ages of the world used in medieval historiography.
Answer: What is the providential framework?
This historian compiled the Zizhi Tongjian, a comprehensive chronicle of Chinese history.
Answer: Who is Sima Guang?
This Confucian concept influenced the evaluation of rulers in Chinese historical writing.
Answer: What is the Mandate of Heaven?
This Welsh leader led a revolt against English rule during Adam’s lifetime.
Answer: Who is Owen Glendower?
This book was bequeathed to Edward ap Adam in Adam of Usk’s will.
Answer: What is the Polychronicon?
This medieval historian wrote the Polychronicon, a universal history.
Answer: Who is Ranulf Higden?
This collection covers the histories of multiple dynasties, from the Shang to the Ming.
Answer: What are the Twenty-Four Histories?
This term describes the interpretation of portents and signs in medieval European historiography.
Answer: What is providential interpretation?
This battle is described by Adam as a miraculous victory for Henry V.
Answer: What is the Battle of Agincourt?
In Adam’s epitaph, he is likened to this biblical figure for his wisdom.
Answer: Who is Solomon?
This was the central place for producing and preserving texts in medieval England.
Answer: What is the scriptorium?
This key difference distinguishes Chinese historiography from medieval European historiography.
Answer: What is the emphasis on cyclical patterns versus linear progression?
This key difference distinguishes Adam of Usk’s chronicle from Sima Guang’s Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: What is the personal and idiosyncratic nature versus systematic and comprehensive approach?
Adam criticizes this as a cause of misfortune in England during his chronicle.
Answer: What is taxation and financial exactions?