Feudalism, a arrangement that for centuries dominated the political and social landscape of Europe, emerged from the ashes of the Byzantine Realm. In its heyday, land was the basis of power, and lords granted fiefs to vassals in exchange for loyalty. Peasants labored the soil, providing sustenance for their lords and themselves. This interdependent

Frontispiece of Description de l'Égypte, posted in 38 volumes between 1809 and 1829 The tradition and monuments of ancient Egypt have left an enduring legacy on the whole world. Egyptian civilization significantly motivated the Kingdom of Kush and Meroë with both equally adopting Egyptian religious and architectural norms (numerous pyramids (6–