Question

Which of the following provides the strongest evidence that this primary source might contain bias?

A. St. Denis uses phrases that provoke strong feelings.

B. St. Denis refers to Martel as Christian.

C. St. Denis did not personally witness the battle.

D. St. Denis gives round numbers for battle deaths.

Answer 1

The following text was written by a medieval Christian, St. Denis, about the Battle of Tours in 732 CE, at which the Frankish leader Charles Martel drove back Muslim invaders from Spain. Use the excerpt to answer the following question:

The Muslims planned to go to Tours to destroy the Church of St. Martin, the city, and the whole country. Then came against them the glorious Prince Charles, at the head of his whole force. He drew up his host, and he fought as fiercely as the hungry wolf falls upon the stag. By the grace of Our Lord, he wrought a great slaughter upon the enemies of Christian faith, so that—as history bears witness—he slew in that battle 300,000 men, likewise their king by name Abderrahman. Then was he [Charles] first called “Martel,” for as a hammer of iron, of steel, and of every other metal, even so he dashed: and smote in the battle all his enemies. And what was the greatest marvel of all, he only lost in that battle 1500 men.
—Public Domain