Glossary
apocryphal Of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
appanage Source of revenue, such as land within the
royal domain, for the maintenance of a member of a
ruling family.
arteriosclerosis Degenerative disorder characterized by
abnormal thickening and hardening of arterial walls
and loss of elasticity, causing decreased blood fl ow and
increasing the risk of heart attack.
ascetic A person who dedicates his or her life to the
pursuit of spiritual contemplation and ideas.
bellicose Hostile; eager to fi ght.
caliph A leader who serves as the successor of
Muhammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islam.
covenant In theology, an agreement that brings about
a relationship of commitment between God and
his people.
dichotomous Divided into two parts.
draconian Rigorous, unusually severe.
embryonic Rudimentary; underdeveloped.
envisage To visualize.
eschatological Concerning the end of the world or the
ultimate destiny of humankind.
expropriate To dispossess a person’s ownership of
property.
extant In existence, not destroyed or lost.
fealty Loyalty or fi delity to a lord by a tenant or vassal.