Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Ronsard, Pierre de

(Encyclopedia)Ronsard, Pierre de pyĕr də rôNsärˈ [key], 1524–1585, French poet. As page, then squire, Ronsard seemed destined for a career at court both in France and abroad. However, deafness turned him to ...

Villeneuve, Pierre de

(Encyclopedia)Villeneuve, Pierre de pyĕr də vēlnövˈ [key], 1763–1806, French admiral. He commanded the rear guard of the fleet in the disastrous battle of Abu Qir (1798). His defeat at the battle of Trafalga...

Argenson, Marc Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, comte d'

(Encyclopedia)Argenson, Marc Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, comte d' märk pyĕr də vwäyāˈ də pōmēˈ kôNt därzhäNsôNˈ [key], 1696–1764, French statesman and patron of literature; younger brother of René ...

Groseilliers, Médard Chouart, sieur des

(Encyclopedia)Groseilliers, Médard Chouart, sieur des mādärˈ shwär syör dā grôsāyāˈ [key], 1618?–c.1690, French trader and explorer in North America. He was the brother-in-law of Pierre Esprit Radisson...

Fermat, Pierre de

(Encyclopedia)Fermat, Pierre de pyĕr də fĕrmäˈ [key], 1601–65, French mathematician. A magistrate whose avocation was mathematics, Fermat is known as a founder of modern number theory and probability theory....

Laplace, Pierre Simon, marquis de

(Encyclopedia)Laplace, Pierre Simon, marquis de pyĕr sēmôNˈ märkēˈ də läpläsˈ [key], 1749–1827, French astronomer and mathematician. At 18 he went to Paris, proved his gift for mathematical analysis to...

Béranger, Pierre Jean de

(Encyclopedia)Béranger, Pierre Jean de pyĕr zhäN də bāräNzhāˈ [key], 1780–1857, French lyric poet. He was a protégé of Lucien Bonaparte and a friend of some of the most eminent men of his day. His first...

Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de

(Encyclopedia)Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de pyĕr də bo͞ordāˈyə sānyörˈ də bräNtōmˈ [key], 1540?–1614, French courtier, soldier, and author of memoirs. He accompanied Mary Stuart to Sco...

Étaix, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Étaix, Pierre, 1928–2016, French film actor and director. He excelled at highly physical slapstick comedy, influenced by his background as a circus and cabaret performer, and by Buster Keaton and C...

Browse by Subject