(Encyclopedia) Alexander of AphrodisiasAlexander of Aphrodisiasăfrōdĭshˈēəs [key], fl. a.d. 200, Greek Peripatetic philosopher. A celebrated ancient commentator on Aristotle, he was often called the…
(Encyclopedia) Guinea, Gulf ofGuinea, Gulf ofgĭnˈē [key], large open arm of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the great bend of the coast of W Africa. It extends from the western coast of Côte d'Ivoire to…
(Encyclopedia) balm of Gileadbalm of Gileadgĭlˈēəd [key], name for several plants belonging to different taxonomic families. The historic Old World balm of Gilead, or Mecca balsam, is a small…
(Encyclopedia) Geoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of Monmouthmŏnˈməth [key], c.1100–1154, English author. He was probably born at Monmouth and was of either Breton or Welsh descent. In 1152 he was named…
(Encyclopedia) museums of art, institutions or buildings where works of art are kept for display or safekeeping. The word museum derives from the Greek mouseion, meaning temple to the works of the…
(Encyclopedia) Pressburg, Treaty of, 1805, peace treaty between Napoleon I of France and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (also emperor of Austria), signed at Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia).…
(Encyclopedia) Sardinia, kingdom of, name given to the possessions of the house of Savoy (see Savoy, house of) in 1720, when the island of Sardinia was awarded (by the Treaty of London) to Duke…
(Encyclopedia) Zeno of EleaZeno of Eleazēˈnō, [key]Zeno of Eleaēˈlēə [key], c.490–c.430 b.c., Greek philosopher of the Eleatic school. He undertook to support in his only known work, fragments of…
(Encyclopedia) Nicholas of Cusa (Nicolaus Cusanus), 1401?–1464, German humanist, scientist, statesman, and philosopher, from 1448 cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. The son of a fisherman,…
(Encyclopedia) Margaret of ValoisMargaret of Valoisvälwäˈ [key], 1553–1615, queen of France and Navarre, daughter of King Henry II of France and of Catherine de' Medici. She was known as Queen Margot…
