(Encyclopedia) Khiva, khanate of, former state of central Asia, based on the Khiva (Khwarazm or Khorezm) oasis along the Amu Darya River. The khanate lay S of the Aral Sea and included large areas of…
(Encyclopedia) Wen JiabaoWen Jiabaowĕnˈ jyäˈbouˈ [key], 1942–, Chinese political leader, b. Tianjin. Originally a geologist, he worked for the Gansu provincial geological bureau (1968–82), where he…
(Encyclopedia) Balfour, Sir James, d. 1583, Scottish judge and politician. Captured (1547) at St. Andrews after the murder of Cardinal Beaton, he served a sentence in the French galleys and on his…
(Encyclopedia) berylberylbĕrˈĭl [key], mineral, a silicate of beryllium and aluminum, Be3Al2Si6O18, extremely hard, occurring in hexagonal crystals that may be of enormous size and are usually white…
(Encyclopedia) Rocky Mountain spotted fever, infectious disease caused by a rickettsia. The bacterium is harbored by wild rodents and other animals and is carried by infected ticks of several species…
(Encyclopedia) Roland de la Platière, Jean MarieRoland de la Platière, Jean MariezhäN märēˈ rôläNˈ də lä plätyĕrˈ [key], 1734–93, French revolutionary. An inspector general of commerce at Rouen and…
(Encyclopedia) Pickens, Andrew, 1739–1817, American Revolutionary soldier, b. near Paxtang, Pa. He moved (1752) to South Carolina and took part (1761) in frontier warfare against the Cherokee. During…
(Encyclopedia) Bagaza, Jean-BaptisteBagaza, Jean-BaptistezhäN-bätēstˈ bägäzäˈ [key], 1946–2016, Burundian army officer and political leader. An ethnic Tutsi, he was educated at Belgian military…
(Encyclopedia) redbud or Judas tree, name for trees and shrubs of the genus Cercis, handsome plants of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), covered along the branches in the early spring with deep…
