History Quiz: Which...?

In 1790, it covered an area of 5,100,000 sq mi (13,100,000 sq km). The Umayyad Caliphate covered 4,300,000 sq mi (11,100,000 sq km) in 720 and the Mali Empire covered 500,000 sq mi (1,294,994 sq km) in 1312.

While a commander of the Varangian Guard (an elite unit of the Byzantine Army, mostly consisting of recruits from northern Europe), Harald Hadrada saw combat at various points, right across the Empire. While in Sicily, he managed to capture four towns. He later became King of Norway.

The island of Tasmania is named after him. He sighted New Zealand on the 13th December 1642.

The eruption was one of the largest eruptions to have occurred on Earth.

The Olmecs were the first civilisation in Mesoamerica to build pyramids.

Laennec was a physician, but also a musician. His skill of carving wooden flutes led him to invent the stethoscope.

Turpin was an English highwayman. He committed a variety of crimes before disappearing and later assuming the alias John Palmer. He was arrested under suspicion of being a horse thief. While in prison, he sent a letter to his brother-in-law which ended up in the hands of the authorities, and he was subsequently executed for his previous crimes.

These obelisks (or stele) are decorated with false doors and windows.

Peter the Great renamed the Tsardom of Russia as the Russian Empire in 1721 and greatly increased the territory Russia controlled.

Moai, the statues on Easter Island, were carved between the years 1250 and 1500, roughly. Once carved at quarries, ropes would be attached and they would be moved to their location by people rocking them, using the ropes.

Also found at the site was a crozier-head from Ireland. These finds reveal the extensive trade network across Eurasia and Africa at the time, and how far Vikings voyaged.

The site lies roughly eight kilometres south of El Mirador. Habitation at the site began c.1400 BC.

The series of prints depict Moun Fuji from different locations and in various seasons and weather conditions. The most famous is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which features an enormous wave and three fishing boats caught in it, with Fuji just visible in the background. There are actually 46 prints, ten added after the initial publication.

Tutankhamen was unfortunately quite inbred, suffering from a club foot and probably a weak immune system. Emperor Hui's disabilities meant that people at his court fought each other for control over him, so as to have some power themselves.

He died of typhoid, pneumonia and paratyphoid fever only 31 days into his term.