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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), ...

Meigs, Return Jonathan

(Encyclopedia)Meigs, Return Jonathan mĕgz [key], 1740–1823, American Revolutionary army officer, b. Middletown, Conn. He accompanied Benedict Arnold on the Quebec expedition, where he was taken prisoner and late...

Vermandois

(Encyclopedia)Vermandois vĕrmäNdwäˈ [key], region, N France, now in Somme and Aisne depts. The region is largely agricultural (wheat, beets) but has some industry (metallurgy, textiles, rubber) located principa...

Diodorus Siculus

(Encyclopedia)Diodorus Siculus dīədôrˈəs sĭkˈyo͞oləs [key], d. after 21 b.c., Sicilian historian. He wrote, in Greek, a world history in 40 books, ending with Caesar's Gallic Wars. Fully preserved are Book...

Francis II, duke of Brittany

(Encyclopedia)Francis II, 1435–88, duke of Brittany. He succeeded (1458) his uncle Arthur III. In his struggle with the French crown for the independence of his duchy, Francis entered (1465) the League of the Pub...

Jiujiang

(Encyclopedia)Jiujiang jyo͞o-jyäng [key] or Kiukiang, city (1994 est. pop. 322,300), N Jiangxi prov., China, on the Chang River, near Poyang Lake. A major river port, it is connected by rail with Nanchang. In a m...

Norwich, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Norwich nôrˈwĭch, –ĭch [key], industrial city (1990 pop. 37,391), SE Conn., seat of New London co., on hilly ground, where the Yantic and Shetucket form the Thames; settled 1659, inc. 1784, town...

limbo

(Encyclopedia)limbo, in Roman Catholic theology, an afterlife realm between heaven and hell where there is no punishment but where souls are denied the presence of God. Never part of Catholic dogma, the concept of ...

Luxeuil

(Encyclopedia)Luxeuil lüksöˈyə [key], former abbey, E France, at the present-day town of Luxeuil-les-Bains. It was founded c.590 by St. Columban on the site of the Roman town Luxovium, destroyed (451) by Attila...

Merry del Val, Rafael

(Encyclopedia)Merry del Val, Rafael räfäĕlˈ māˈrē dĕl väl [key], 1865–1930, Spanish prelate, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, b. London. He was educated for the priesthood and ordained at Rome (188...