(Encyclopedia) Portalis, Jean Étienne MariePortalis, Jean Étienne MariezhäN ātyĕnˈ märēˈ pôrtälēsˈ [key], 1746–1807, French statesman and lawyer. A moderate, he was suspected of royalist sympathies…
(Encyclopedia) Fould, AchilleFould, Achilleäshēlˈ f&oomacr;ld [key], 1800–1867, French financier and politician. Fould gave financial backing to Louis Napoleon (later Emperor Napoleon III), whom…
(Encyclopedia) Anne of Bohemia, 1366–94, queen consort of Richard II of England, daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. She was married to Richard early in 1382 and quickly gained popularity in…
(Encyclopedia) Rudolf II, 1552–1612, Holy Roman emperor (1576–1612), king of Bohemia (1575–1611) and of Hungary (1572–1608), son and successor of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. Acceding to the…
(Encyclopedia) Trajan (Marcus Ulpius Trajanus)Trajantrāˈjən [key], c.a.d. 53–a.d. 117, Roman emperor (a.d. 98–a.d. 117). Born in Spain, he was the first non-Italian to become head of the empire.…
(Encyclopedia) Bocskay, StephenBocskay, Stephenbôchˈkī [key], 1557–1606, Hungarian noble, voivode [governor] (1604–6) and prince (1605–6) of Transylvania. Seeking to secure the independence of…
(Encyclopedia) MingMingmĭng [key], dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644. The first Ming emperor, Chu Yüan-chang (ruled 1368–98), a former Buddhist monk, joined a rebellion in progress,…
(Encyclopedia) AttilaAttilaətĭlˈə, ătˈələ [key], d. 453, king of the Huns (445–53). After 434 he was coruler with his brother, whom he murdered in 445. In 434, Attila obtained tribute and great…
(Encyclopedia) Vespasian (Titus Flavius Vespasianus)Vespasianvĕspāˈzhən [key], a.d. 9–a.d. 79, Roman emperor (a.d. 69–a.d. 79), founder of the Flavian dynasty. The son of a poor family, he made his…