Well... in my specific case...
*IF* someone ask about 8086 *OR* 80286 (386/486 etc...)..
I would tell them that it is the very hard way trying
to understand 8086 without understanding 8085 and
HOW the 8085 was "influenced" by the superior
features of Z80 (like for example index registers etc)
which ultimately lead to the 8086 as it is.
Being a considerable upgrade when the protect mode
register table was introduced...
Tracking 8080 to 8085 and how 8085 result in 8086 via Z80
is probably the best way to understand very critical internal stuff...
from 286 ahead the path is different..
Paul