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Arsaces

(Encyclopedia)Arsaces ärˈsəsēz [key], fl. 250 b.c., founder of the Parthian dynasty of the Arsacids, which ruled Persia from c.250 b.c. to a.d. 226. Arsaces led a successful revolt against Antiochus II of Syria...

Leo IV, Saint, pope

(Encyclopedia)Leo IV, Saint, d. 855, pope (847–55), a Roman; successor of Sergius II. He had seen the Saracen attack on Rome (846), and to prevent its recurrence he fortified the city and its suburbs. He built a ...

Charles IV, king of France

(Encyclopedia)Charles IV (Charles the Fair), 1294–1328, king of France (1322–28), youngest son of Philip IV, brother and successor of Philip V. Charles continued his brother's work of strengthening the royal po...

Peter IV, king of Aragón

(Encyclopedia)Peter IV (Peter the Ceremonious), 1319?–1387, king of Aragón and count of Barcelona (1336–87); son and successor of Alfonso IV. He supported Alfonso XI of Castile at the battle of Tarifa (1340), ...

Rafa

(Encyclopedia)Rafa or Rafah both: räˈfä [key], town in the present Gaza Strip on the Egyptian border. The ancient name was Raphia. There in 217 b.c., Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III. ...

Alexander Balas

(Encyclopedia)Alexander Balas bāˈləs [key], d. 145 b.c., ruler of Syria, putative son of Antiochus IV. He seized power from his uncle Demetrius I (c.152 b.c.); Jonathan the Maccabee supported him. He died in bat...

Rama IV, king of Siam

(Encyclopedia)Rama IV: see Mongkut.

Charles IV, king of Spain

(Encyclopedia)Charles IV, 1748–1819, king of Spain (1788–1808), second son of Charles III, whom he succeeded in place of his imbecile older brother. Unlike his father, Charles IV was an ineffective ruler and in...

Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia

(Encyclopedia)Wenceslaus IV, king of Bohemia: see Wenceslaus, Holy Roman emperor. ...

Peter IV, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Peter IV, king of Portugal: see Pedro I, emperor of Brazil. ...