romikgosai/squad_modified huggingface dataset:
Religious beliefs in the Eastern Empire and Persia were in flux during the late 6th and early 7th centuries. Judaism was an active proselytising faith, and at least one Arab political leader converted to it.[J] Christianity had active missions competing with the Persians' Zoroastrianism in seeking converts, especially among residents of the Arabian Peninsula. All these strands came together with the emergence of Islam in Arabia during the lifetime of Muhammad (d. 632). After his death, Islamic forces conquered much of the Eastern Empire and Persia, starting with Syria in 634–635 and reaching Egypt in 640–641, Persia between 637 and 642, North Africa in the later 7th century, and the Iberian Peninsula in 711. By 714, Islamic forces controlled much of the peninsula in a region they called Al-Andalus.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What was the ethnicity of a leader who converted to Judaism in this era?
A: Arab', '
Q: What was the dominant religion of Persia before Islam?
A: Zoroastrianism', '
Q: In what yer did Muhammad die?
A: 632', '
Q: In what period did Islamic armies conquer Syria?
A: 634–635', '
Q: In what century did Muslims conquer North Africa?
A: 7th']
The Islamic conquests reached their peak in the mid-8th century. The defeat of Muslim forces at the Battle of Poitiers in 732 led to the reconquest of southern France by the Franks, but the main reason for the halt of Islamic growth in Europe was the overthrow of the Umayyad dynasty and its replacement by the Abbasid dynasty. The Abbasids moved their capital to Baghdad and were more concerned with the Middle East than Europe, losing control of sections of the Muslim lands. Umayyad descendants took over the Iberian Peninsula, the Aghlabids controlled North Africa, and the Tulunids became rulers of Egypt. By the middle of the 8th century, new trading patterns were emerging in the Mediterranean; trade between the Franks and the Arabs replaced the old Roman patterns of trade. Franks traded timber, furs, swords and slaves in return for silks and other fabrics, spices, and precious metals from the Arabs.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: In what year did the Battle of Poitiers take place?
A: 732', '
Q: What Islamic dynasty followed the Umayyad?
A: Abbasid', '
Q: What was the capital of the Abbasid state?
A: Baghdad', '
Q: What dynasty ruled Egypt in this period?
A: Tulunids', '
Q: What group conquered southern France from Muslim forces?
A: the Franks']
The migrations and invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries disrupted trade networks around the Mediterranean. African goods stopped being imported into Europe, first disappearing from the interior and by the 7th century found only in a few cities such as Rome or Naples. By the end of the 7th century, under the impact of the Muslim conquests, African products were no longer found in Western Europe. The replacement of goods from long-range trade with local products was a trend throughout the old Roman lands that happened in the Early Middle Ages. This was especially marked in the lands that did not lie on the Mediterranean, such as northern Gaul or Britain. Non-local goods appearing in the archaeological record are usually luxury goods. In the northern parts of Europe, not only were the trade networks local, but the goods carried were simple, with little pottery or other complex products. Around the Mediterranean, pottery remained prevalent and appears to have been traded over medium-range networks, not just produced locally.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Along with Naples, what city still traded African goods in the 7th century?
A: Rome', '
Q: What event led to African goods no longer being traded in Western Europe by the end of the 7th century?
A: Muslim conquests', '
Q: What non-local goods have archaeologists typically found in Britain of this era?
A: luxury goods']
The various Germanic states in the west all had coinages that imitated existing Roman and Byzantine forms. Gold continued to be minted until the end of the 7th century, when it was replaced by silver coins. The basic Frankish silver coin was the denarius or denier, while the Anglo-Saxon version was called a penny. From these areas, the denier or penny spread throughout Europe during the centuries from 700 to 1000. Copper or bronze coins were not struck, nor were gold except in Southern Europe. No silver coins denominated in multiple units were minted.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: During what century did gold coinage cease?
A: 7th', '
Q: Coinage from what metal replaced gold coinage?
A: silver', '
Q: What was the Anglo-Saxon silver coin called?
A: penny', '
Q: What was another name for the denarius?
A: denier', '
Q: In what part of Europe were gold coins still minted?
A: Southern Europe']
Christianity was a major unifying factor between Eastern and Western Europe before the Arab conquests, but the conquest of North Africa sundered maritime connections between those areas. Increasingly the Byzantine Church differed in language, practices, and liturgy from the western Church. The eastern church used Greek instead of the western Latin. Theological and political differences emerged, and by the early and middle 8th century issues such as iconoclasm, clerical marriage, and state control of the church had widened to the extent that the cultural and religious differences were greater than the similarities. The formal break came in 1054, when the papacy and the patriarchy of Constantinople clashed over papal supremacy and excommunicated each other, which led to the division of Christianity into two churches—the western branch became the Roman Catholic Church and the eastern branch the Orthodox Church.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What language was used by the eastern church?
A: Greek', '
Q: What language did the western church use?
A: Latin', '
Q: When did the eastern and western churches split?
A: 1054', '
Q: Over what issue did the eastern and western churches split?
A: papal supremacy', '
Q: What was the eastern church subsequently known as?
A: the Orthodox Church']
The ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Empire survived the movements and invasions in the west mostly intact, but the papacy was little regarded, and few of the western bishops looked to the bishop of Rome for religious or political leadership. Many of the popes prior to 750 were more concerned with Byzantine affairs and eastern theological controversies. The register, or archived copies of the letters, of Pope Gregory the Great (pope 590–604) survived, and of those more than 850 letters, the vast majority were concerned with affairs in Italy or Constantinople. The only part of Western Europe where the papacy had influence was Britain, where Gregory had sent the Gregorian mission in 597 to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. Irish missionaries were most active in Western Europe between the 5th and the 7th centuries, going first to England and Scotland and then on to the continent. Under such monks as Columba (d. 597) and Columbanus (d. 615), they founded monasteries, taught in Latin and Greek, and authored secular and religious works.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: When did Gregory the Great become pope?
A: 590', "
Q: About how many of Gregory's letters were concerned with Constantinople or Italy?
A: 850", '
Q: In what region of Western Europe did the pope have influence?
A: Britain', '
Q: When did the Gregorian mission travel to Britain?
A: 597', '
Q: When did Columbanus die?
A: 615']
The Early Middle Ages witnessed the rise of monasticism in the West. The shape of European monasticism was determined by traditions and ideas that originated with the Desert Fathers of Egypt and Syria. Most European monasteries were of the type that focuses on community experience of the spiritual life, called cenobitism, which was pioneered by Pachomius (d. 348) in the 4th century. Monastic ideals spread from Egypt to Western Europe in the 5th and 6th centuries through hagiographical literature such as the Life of Anthony. Benedict of Nursia (d. 547) wrote the Benedictine Rule for Western monasticism during the 6th century, detailing the administrative and spiritual responsibilities of a community of monks led by an abbot. Monks and monasteries had a deep effect on the religious and political life of the Early Middle Ages, in various cases acting as land trusts for powerful families, centres of propaganda and royal support in newly conquered regions, and bases for missions and proselytisation. They were the main and sometimes only outposts of education and literacy in a region. Many of the surviving manuscripts of the Latin classics were copied in monasteries in the Early Middle Ages. Monks were also the authors of new works, including history, theology, and other subjects, written by authors such as Bede (d. 735), a native of northern England who wrote in the late 7th and early 8th centuries.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What religious lifestyle arose in the Early Middle Ages?
A: monasticism', '
Q: Who was the pioneer of cenobitism?
A: Pachomius', '
Q: Who composed the Benedictine Rule?
A: Benedict of Nursia', '
Q: From what part of England did Bede come?
A: northern', '
Q: What was the title of the leader of a monastery?
A: abbot']
The Frankish kingdom in northern Gaul split into kingdoms called Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy during the 6th and 7th centuries, all of them ruled by the Merovingian dynasty, who were descended from Clovis. The 7th century was a tumultuous period of wars between Austrasia and Neustria. Such warfare was exploited by Pippin (d. 640), the Mayor of the Palace for Austrasia who became the power behind the Austrasian throne. Later members of his family inherited the office, acting as advisers and regents. One of his descendants, Charles Martel (d. 741), won the Battle of Poitiers in 732, halting the advance of Muslim armies across the Pyrenees.[K] Great Britain was divided into small states dominated by the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, and East Anglia, which were descended from the Anglo-Saxon invaders. Smaller kingdoms in present-day Wales and Scotland were still under the control of the native Britons and Picts. Ireland was divided into even smaller political units, usually known as tribal kingdoms, under the control of kings. There were perhaps as many as 150 local kings in Ireland, of varying importance.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Along with Austrasia and Neustria, what kingdom was originally part of the Frankish kingdom?
A: Burgundy', '
Q: What dynasty ruled Neustria?
A: Merovingian', '
Q: From whom did the rulers of the Merovingian dynasty trace their ancestry?
A: Clovis', '
Q: What was the title of Pippin?
A: Mayor of the Palace', '
Q: What leader was victorious at the Battle of Poitiers?
A: Charles Martel']
The Carolingian dynasty, as the successors to Charles Martel are known, officially took control of the kingdoms of Austrasia and Neustria in a coup of 753 led by Pippin III (r. 752–768). A contemporary chronicle claims that Pippin sought, and gained, authority for this coup from Pope Stephen II (pope 752–757). Pippin's takeover was reinforced with propaganda that portrayed the Merovingians as inept or cruel rulers, exalted the accomplishments of Charles Martel, and circulated stories of the family's great piety. At the time of his death in 768, Pippin left his kingdom in the hands of his two sons, Charles (r. 768–814) and Carloman (r. 768–771). When Carloman died of natural causes, Charles blocked the succession of Carloman's young son and installed himself as the king of the united Austrasia and Neustria. Charles, more often known as Charles the Great or Charlemagne, embarked upon a programme of systematic expansion in 774 that unified a large portion of Europe, eventually controlling modern-day France, northern Italy, and Saxony. In the wars that lasted beyond 800, he rewarded allies with war booty and command over parcels of land. In 774, Charlemagne conquered the Lombards, which freed the papacy from the fear of Lombard conquest and marked the beginnings of the Papal States.[L]

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What dynasty consisted of descendants of Charles Martel?
A: Carolingian', '
Q: In what year did the Carolingians take over Neustria?
A: 753', '
Q: Who led the coup that gained control over Austrasia?
A: Pippin III', '
Q: When did Stephen II become pope?
A: 752', '
Q: Along with Charles, who was the son of Pippin?
A: Carloman']
The coronation of Charlemagne as emperor on Christmas Day 800 is regarded as a turning point in medieval history, marking a return of the Western Roman Empire, since the new emperor ruled over much of the area previously controlled by the western emperors. It also marks a change in Charlemagne's relationship with the Byzantine Empire, as the assumption of the imperial title by the Carolingians asserted their equivalence to the Byzantine state. There were several differences between the newly established Carolingian Empire and both the older Western Roman Empire and the concurrent Byzantine Empire. The Frankish lands were rural in character, with only a few small cities. Most of the people were peasants settled on small farms. Little trade existed and much of that was with the British Isles and Scandinavia, in contrast to the older Roman Empire with its trading networks centred on the Mediterranean. The empire was administered by an itinerant court that travelled with the emperor, as well as approximately 300 imperial officials called counts, who administered the counties the empire had been divided into. Clergy and local bishops served as officials, as well as the imperial officials called missi dominici, who served as roving inspectors and troubleshooters.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: On what date did Charlemagne assume the imperial title?
A: Christmas Day 800', '
Q: Of what class were most inhabitants of the Carolingian Empire?
A: peasants', '
Q: About how many counts existed in the Carolingian Empire?
A: 300', '
Q: In what settlements did most inhabitants of the Carolingian Empire live?
A: small farms', '
Q: Along with the British Isles, with what land did the Carolingians trade?
A: Scandinavia']
Charlemagne's court in Aachen was the centre of the cultural revival sometimes referred to as the "Carolingian Renaissance". Literacy increased, as did development in the arts, architecture and jurisprudence, as well as liturgical and scriptural studies. The English monk Alcuin (d. 804) was invited to Aachen and brought the education available in the monasteries of Northumbria. Charlemagne's chancery—or writing office—made use of a new script today known as Carolingian minuscule,[M] allowing a common writing style that advanced communication across much of Europe. Charlemagne sponsored changes in church liturgy, imposing the Roman form of church service on his domains, as well as the Gregorian chant in liturgical music for the churches. An important activity for scholars during this period was the copying, correcting, and dissemination of basic works on religious and secular topics, with the aim of encouraging learning. New works on religious topics and schoolbooks were also produced. Grammarians of the period modified the Latin language, changing it from the Classical Latin of the Roman Empire into a more flexible form to fit the needs of the church and government. By the reign of Charlemagne, the language had so diverged from the classical that it was later called Medieval Latin.

Questions and answers:
["
Q: Where was Charlemagne's court based?
A: Aachen", '
Q: What is the name of the cultural revival associated with Charlemagne?
A: Carolingian Renaissance', '
Q: Of what ethnicity was Alcuin?
A: English', '
Q: In what year did Alcuin die?
A: 804', "
Q: What was the Latin of Charlemagne's era later known as?
A: Medieval Latin"]
Charlemagne planned to continue the Frankish tradition of dividing his kingdom between all his heirs, but was unable to do so as only one son, Louis the Pious (r. 814–840), was still alive by 813. Just before Charlemagne died in 814, he crowned Louis as his successor. Louis's reign of 26 years was marked by numerous divisions of the empire among his sons and, after 829, civil wars between various alliances of father and sons over the control of various parts of the empire. Eventually, Louis recognised his eldest son Lothair I (d. 855) as emperor and gave him Italy. Louis divided the rest of the empire between Lothair and Charles the Bald (d. 877), his youngest son. Lothair took East Francia, comprising both banks of the Rhine and eastwards, leaving Charles West Francia with the empire to the west of the Rhineland and the Alps. Louis the German (d. 876), the middle child, who had been rebellious to the last, was allowed to keep Bavaria under the suzerainty of his elder brother. The division was disputed. Pepin II of Aquitaine (d. after 864), the emperor's grandson, rebelled in a contest for Aquitaine, while Louis the German tried to annex all of East Francia. Louis the Pious died in 840, with the empire still in chaos.

Questions and answers:
["
Q: Who was Charlemagne's only living son in 813?
A: Louis the Pious", '
Q: How long did Louis the Pious reign?
A: 26 years', '
Q: When did the reign of Louis the Pious end?
A: 840', '
Q: Who ruled Italy after Louis the Pious?
A: Lothair I', '
Q: Who was the middle son of Louis the Pious?
A: Louis the German']
A three-year civil war followed his death. By the Treaty of Verdun (843), a kingdom between the Rhine and Rhone rivers was created for Lothair to go with his lands in Italy, and his imperial title was recognised. Louis the German was in control of Bavaria and the eastern lands in modern-day Germany. Charles the Bald received the western Frankish lands, comprising most of modern-day France. Charlemagne's grandsons and great-grandsons divided their kingdoms between their descendants, eventually causing all internal cohesion to be lost.[N] In 987 the Carolingian dynasty was replaced in the western lands, with the crowning of Hugh Capet (r. 987–996) as king.[O][P] In the eastern lands the dynasty had died out earlier, in 911, with the death of Louis the Child, and the selection of the unrelated Conrad I (r. 911–918) as king.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: How many years did the civil war after the death of Louis the Pious last?
A: three', '
Q: Between what two rivers did Lothair receive a kingdom?
A: the Rhine and Rhone', "
Q: In what modern country were Louis the German's lands?
A: Germany", "
Q: In what modern country were Charles the Bald's lands?
A: France", '
Q: When did Louis the Child die?
A: 911']
The breakup of the Carolingian Empire was accompanied by invasions, migrations, and raids by external foes. The Atlantic and northern shores were harassed by the Vikings, who also raided the British Isles and settled there as well as in Iceland. In 911, the Viking chieftain Rollo (d. c. 931) received permission from the Frankish King Charles the Simple (r. 898–922) to settle in what became Normandy.[Q] The eastern parts of the Frankish kingdoms, especially Germany and Italy, were under continual Magyar assault until the invader's defeat at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955. The breakup of the Abbasid dynasty meant that the Islamic world fragmented into smaller political states, some of which began expanding into Italy and Sicily, as well as over the Pyrenees into the southern parts of the Frankish kingdoms.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What group settled in Iceland during this period?
A: the Vikings', '
Q: Who was king of the Franks in 899?
A: Charles the Simple', '
Q: In what region of modern-day France did the Vikings settle?
A: Normandy', '
Q: What group was defeated at the Battle of Lechfeld?
A: Magyar', '
Q: In what year did the Battle of Lechfeld occur?
A: 955']
Efforts by local kings to fight the invaders led to the formation of new political entities. In Anglo-Saxon England, King Alfred the Great (r. 871–899) came to an agreement with the Viking invaders in the late 9th century, resulting in Danish settlements in Northumbria, Mercia, and parts of East Anglia. By the middle of the 10th century, Alfred's successors had conquered Northumbria, and restored English control over most of the southern part of Great Britain. In northern Britain, Kenneth MacAlpin (d. c. 860) united the Picts and the Scots into the Kingdom of Alba. In the early 10th century, the Ottonian dynasty had established itself in Germany, and was engaged in driving back the Magyars. Its efforts culminated in the coronation in 962 of Otto I (r. 936–973) as Holy Roman Emperor. In 972, he secured recognition of his title by the Byzantine Empire, which he sealed with the marriage of his son Otto II (r. 967–983) to Theophanu (d. 991), daughter of an earlier Byzantine Emperor Romanos II (r. 959–963). By the late 10th century Italy had been drawn into the Ottonian sphere after a period of instability; Otto III (r. 996–1002) spent much of his later reign in the kingdom. The western Frankish kingdom was more fragmented, and although kings remained nominally in charge, much of the political power devolved to the local lords.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: When did Alfred the Great begin his reign?
A: 871', '
Q: What was the kingdom of Kenneth MacAlpin?
A: the Kingdom of Alba', '
Q: Of what dynasty was Otto I a member?
A: Ottonian dynasty', '
Q: What group did Otto I defeat?
A: Magyars', '
Q: In what year did Otto I become Holy Roman Emperor?
A: 962']
Missionary efforts to Scandinavia during the 9th and 10th centuries helped strengthen the growth of kingdoms such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, which gained power and territory. Some kings converted to Christianity, although not all by 1000. Scandinavians also expanded and colonised throughout Europe. Besides the settlements in Ireland, England, and Normandy, further settlement took place in what became Russia and in Iceland. Swedish traders and raiders ranged down the rivers of the Russian steppe, and even attempted to seize Constantinople in 860 and 907. Christian Spain, initially driven into a small section of the peninsula in the north, expanded slowly south during the 9th and 10th centuries, establishing the kingdoms of Asturias and León.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Along with Sweden and Norway, what country saw missionary activity in the 9th and 10th centuries?
A: Denmark', '
Q: Along with 860, in what year did Swedish raiders attempt to conquer Constantinople?
A: 907', '
Q: Along with the kingdom of León, what Spanish kingdom was established during this period?
A: Asturias', '
Q: Along with Iceland, Normandy, Ireland and England, what other area did Scandinavians colonize during this period?
A: Russia']
In Eastern Europe, Byzantium revived its fortunes under Emperor Basil I (r. 867–886) and his successors Leo VI (r. 886–912) and Constantine VII (r. 913–959), members of the Macedonian dynasty. Commerce revived and the emperors oversaw the extension of a uniform administration to all the provinces. The military was reorganised, which allowed the emperors John I (r. 969–976) and Basil II (r. 976–1025) to expand the frontiers of the empire on all fronts. The imperial court was the centre of a revival of classical learning, a process known as the Macedonian Renaissance. Writers such as John Geometres (fl. early 10th century) composed new hymns, poems, and other works. Missionary efforts by both eastern and western clergy resulted in the conversion of the Moravians, Bulgars, Bohemians, Poles, Magyars, and Slavic inhabitants of the Kievan Rus'. These conversions contributed to the founding of political states in the lands of those peoples—the states of Moravia, Bulgaria, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and the Kievan Rus'. Bulgaria, which was founded around 680, at its height reached from Budapest to the Black Sea and from the Dnieper River in modern Ukraine to the Adriatic Sea. By 1018, the last Bulgarian nobles had surrendered to the Byzantine Empire.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Of what dynasty was Leo VI a member?
A: Macedonian', '
Q: During what period did Constantine VII reign?
A: 913–959', "
Q: When did Basil I's rule begin?
A: 867", '
Q: During what century did John Geometres flourish?
A: 10th', '
Q: In approximately what year was Bulgaria founded?
A: 680']