(Encyclopedia) IsmailisIsmailisĭsmäēlˈēz [key], Muslim Shiite sect that holds Ismail, the son of Jafar as-Sadiq, as its imam. On the death of the sixth imam of the Shiites, Jafar as-Sadiq (d. 765),…
(Encyclopedia) TabrizTabriztäbrēzˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 1,088,985), capital of East Azerbaijan prov., NW Iran, on the Aji Chai (Talkheh) River, in the foothills of Mt. Sahand, at an elevation of c.…
(Encyclopedia) MughalMughalm&oomacr;gŭlˈ [key] or MogulMogulmōˈgəl, mōgŭlˈ [key], Muslim empire in India, 1526–1857. The dynasty was founded by Babur, a Turkic chieftain who had his base in…
(Encyclopedia) Nadir Shah or Nader ShahNader Shahboth: näˈdēr shä [key], 1688–1747, shah of Iran (1736–47), sometimes considered the last of the great Asian conquerors. He was a member of the Afshar…
(Encyclopedia) LahoreLahoreləhôrˈ [key], city (1998 pop. 5,063,499), capital of Punjab prov., E central Pakistan, on the Ravi River. It is the second largest city of Pakistan. A railway and air…
(Encyclopedia) John II (John Casimir), 1609–72, king of Poland (1648–68), son of Sigismund III. He was elected to succeed his brother, Ladislaus IV. The turbulent period of his reign is known in…
(Encyclopedia) KhwarazmKhwarazmkhwärăzˈəm [key] or KhorezmKhorezmkhərĕzˈəm [key], ancient and medieval state of central Asia, situated in and around the basin of the lower Amu Darya River; now a…
(Encyclopedia) nomadnomadnōˈmădˌ [key], one of a group of people without fixed habitation, especially pastoralists. (Some authorities prefer the terms “nonsedentary” or “migratory” rather than “…
(Encyclopedia) Naipaul, V. S. (Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul)Naipaul, V. S.nīpôlˈ [key], 1932–2018, English writer, b. Chaguanas, Trinidad; grad. University College, Oxford, 1953. Naipul, whose…
(Encyclopedia) HangzhouHangzhouhangˈjōˈ [key] or HangchowHangzhouhăngˈchou [key], city (1994 est. pop. 1,184,300), capital of Zhejiang prov., E China. It is on the Fuchun River at the head of…
