Jonathan Swift was best known for A Modest Proposal and he lived a few centuries after the publication of The Canterbury Tales, so he would not be a good choice. John Locke was an English philosopher and did not write fiction, so he would also not be a good choice. William Shakespeare might seem to be a good choice, however he wrote many years after The Canterbury Tales, and English was a popular medium for literary works in his time. Lastly, Chaucer is very well known for The Canterbury Tales, and as such he is the best choice.

The Canterbury Tales was written by the Englishman Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century. It is considered to be of particular importance for encouraging the spread of vernacular English in English society.

Rumi is a notable Sufi poet who lived in the thirteenth century. Sufism is often called “the mystical branch of Islam.” It grew in popularity during the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate. Sufism, as distinct from other denominations of Islam, emphasizes spiritual union with Allah through a series of mystical ceremonies. Sufism has a long tradition of elegant poetry, and Rumi is the most famous poet in this tradition.

A troubadour is a poet. Troubadour poems were especially popular in western European society (most notably in France) during the High Middle Ages.

The Japanese city of Heian was built during the classical period of Japanese history (The Nara and Heian periods). This was a time when Japanese culture was closely tied to Chinese culture. The Japanese city of Heian was modelled after the Chinese capital of Chang’an, with its notable grid layout.

Troubadour poems were influential in western European society in the High Middle Ages. Troubadour poems were usually poems that were sung by a bard or “troubadour.” Common themes of troubadour poems include chivalry, love, and bravery.

Geoffrey Chaucer and Dante Alighieri are noteworthy for their contributions to the growth of vernacular languages in Europe during the Middle Ages. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales contributed to the spread of vernacular English in England and Dante’s Inferno (and other famous works) contributed to the spread of vernacular Italian in Italy. In both of these countries, and elsewhere in Europe, writing had usually been done in Latin, making it inaccessible for the vast majority of the population.

Wu Chengen is most famous for authoring Journey to the West. Wu lived during the Ming dynasty, but his most famous work is based on the travels of Xuanzang in the 600s CE. Xuanzang travelled to the Indian subcontinent and returned to China with a treasure trove of Buddhist writings and artefacts.

Europeans first began building stone castles in the twelfth century, as a result of their exposure to the Islamic stone castles they encountered during the Crusades. Prior to this, most castles in Europe were built of wood and were naturally much less effective. The introduction of stone castles contributed to the growth of the feudal system in Europe at this time, as castles allowed for lords to more effectively protect their lands.

Borobudur was built in Indonesia in the ninth century. It is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world.