Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

The Emirate of Crete

824 CE 961 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 gr_crete_emirate / GrCrEmr

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[hostile; Middle Byzantine Empire] [absorption] Update here

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

Between 824 and 962, Crete was ruled by Andalusian Arabs. The latter had taken the island from the Byzantines (who subsequently lost the control of the maritime trade routes in the Aegean specifically and the eastern Mediterranean generally), and made it into an emirate, with Khandax, i.e. modern-day Heraklion, as its capital. The surviving evidence for the organization of the emirate and the Cretan society of the period is, unfortunately, scanty, with almost no archaeology and few, contradictory written sources. The original Byzantine sources are biased against the Arabs, and quite a few modern scholars have taken these sources at face value, presenting the Arabs as uncivilized barbarians, overly concerned with piracy. In fact, based on what is known about Arabic civilization in the rest of the Mediterranean at this time, it is likely that the Emirate of Crete was similarly sophisticated in its culture and social organization, though to its prolonged animosity with the Byzantines, it almost certainly retained a strong militaristic character as well. In 962, the Byzantines regained control of the island. ^[1] ^[2]
Population and political organization
A rough estimate of the island’s population at this time is of 250,000 inhabitants. ^[3] In terms of its political organization, Crete was divided into forty districts and was ruled by an emir who only nominally recognized the Caliph of Baghdad. ^[2]

[1]: (Christides 2011, 17) Vassilios Christides. 2011. ’The cycle of the Arab-Byzantine struggle in Crete (ca. 824/6-961 AD) in the illuminate manuscript of Skylitzes (Codex Martinensis Graecus Vitr. 26-2)’. Craeco-Arabica 9: 17.

[2]: (Christides 1984) Vassilios Christides. 1984. The Conquest of Crete by Arabs (ca. 824). A Turning Point in the Struggle Between Byzantium and Islam. Athens: Akademia Athenon.

[3]: (Papadopoulos 1948, 37) Ioannes B. Papadopoulos. 1948. Η Κρήτη υπό τους Σαρακηνούς (824-961). Athens: Byzantinisch-Neugriechischen Jahrbücher.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

2 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Moat

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

7 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate) was in:
(824 CE 960 CE)	Crete

Home NGA: Crete

General Variables

Identity and Location The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	824 CE 961 CE
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Original Name	The Emirate of Crete	824 CE 961 CE
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Capital	Khandax	824 CE 961 CE
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Alternative Name	Saracen Crete	824 CE 961 CE
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Alternative Name	Arabic Crete	824 CE 961 CE
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Temporal Bounds The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[824 CE ➜ 961 CE]
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Duration	[824 CE ➜ 961 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	824 CE 961 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Christianity and Islam	824 CE 961 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Middle Byzantine Empire	824 CE 961 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[15,000,000 to 20,000,000] km²	824 CE 961 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	hostile	824 CE 961 CE
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Preceding Entity	hostile; Middle Byzantine Empire [absorption] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	824 CE 961 CE
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Language The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	824 CE 961 CE
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Linguistic Family	Hamito-Semitic	824 CE 961 CE
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Language	Greek	824 CE 961 CE
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Language	Arabic	824 CE 961 CE
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Religion The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	12,000 people	824 CE 961 CE
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Polity Territory	8,336 km²	824 CE 961 CE
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Polity Population	250,000 people	824 CE 961 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	3	824 CE 961 CE
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Religious Level	4	824 CE 961 CE
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Military Level	3	824 CE 961 CE
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Administrative Level	5	824 CE 961 CE
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Professions The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Law The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Judge	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Court	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	824 CE 961 CE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	824 CE 961 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	824 CE 961 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	824 CE 961 CE
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Transport Infrastructure The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Port	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Canal	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Bridge	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Special-purpose Sites The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Information / Writing System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Script	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Philosophy	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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History	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Fiction	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Calendar	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Information / Money The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Article	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Information / Postal System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Courier	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Information / Measurement System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moat	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Ditch	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Long Wall	absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Military use of Metals The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Iron	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Bronze	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Projectiles The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Sling	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Self Bow	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Javelin	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Crossbow	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Handheld weapons The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Sword	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Spear	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Polearm	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Dagger	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Animals used in warfare The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Elephant	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Dog	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Camel	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Armor The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Shield	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent	824 CE 961 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Helmet	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Chainmail	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Breastplate	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Naval technology The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	824 CE 961 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	824 CE 961 CE
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Human Sacrifice The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More