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Waldemar II

(Encyclopedia)Waldemar II, 1170–1241, king of Denmark (1202–41), second son of Waldemar I. In the reign of his brother, Canute VI, he defended Denmark from German aggression and then extended Danish control ove...

Cano, Alonso

(Encyclopedia)Cano, Alonso älōnˈsō käˈnō [key], 1601–67, Spanish baroque painter, sculptor, and architect. Cano studied under Pacheco and received painting and architecture commissions from King Philip IV....

Castelnau, Michel de

(Encyclopedia)Castelnau, Michel de mēshĕlˈ də kästĕlnōˈ [key], c.1520–1592, French diplomat and soldier. He early attracted the favorable notice of the cardinal of Lorraine (Charles de Guise) and performe...

Catherine of Braganza

(Encyclopedia)Catherine of Braganza brəgănˈzə [key], 1638–1705, queen consort of Charles II of England, daughter of John IV of Portugal. She was married to Charles in 1662. As part of her dowry England secure...

Colonna

(Encyclopedia)Colonna kōlônˈnä [key], noble Roman family that played a leading part in the history of Rome from the 12th to the 16th cent. They were hereditary enemies of the Orsini and Caetani families, genera...

Jagiello

(Encyclopedia)Jagiello yägĕˈlō [key], dynasty that ruled Poland and Lithuania from 1386 to 1572, Hungary from 1440 to 1444 and again from 1490 to 1526, and Bohemia from 1471 to 1526. It took its name from Ladis...

Pirandello, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Pirandello, Luigi lwēˈjē pērändĕlˈlō [key], 1867–1936, Italian author, b. Sicily. One of the great figures in 20th-century European theater, Pirandello was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Li...

Nicholas III, pope

(Encyclopedia)Nicholas III, d. 1280, pope (1277–80), a Roman named Giovanni Gaetano Orsini; successor of John XXI. As a cardinal he made a great reputation in diplomacy, and he was a close confidant of popes for ...

Nogaret, Guillaume de

(Encyclopedia)Nogaret, Guillaume de gēyōmˈ də nôgärāˈ [key], 1265?–1313, French statesman. A jurist, he was a member of the royal council of King Philip IV. During Philip's conflict with Pope Boniface VII...

Lerma, Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, duque de

(Encyclopedia)Lerma, Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, duque de fränthēsˈkō gōˈmāth dā sändōvälˈ ē rōˈhäs do͞oˈkā dā lārˈmä [key], 1553–1625, Spanish statesman, favorite of King Philip ...