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Norse

(Encyclopedia)Norse, another name for the North Germanic, or Scandinavian, group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). The modern Norse languages—Danish, Fae...

Orkhon

(Encyclopedia)Orkhon ôrˈkŏn, ôr-khŏnˈ [key], river, c.300 mi (480 km) long, rising in the Khangai Mts., N central Republic of Mongolia, and flowing east, then north, past the site of ancient Karakorum, and th...

Ga, black African ethnic group

(Encyclopedia)Ga gä [key], black African ethnic group, SE Ghana. The Ga speak a Kwa language and, together with the closely related Adangme, number over 1 million. Inheritance and succession to public office are d...

Ewald, Johannes

(Encyclopedia)Ewald, Johannes yōhänˈəs āˈväl [key], 1743–81, Danish poet. Ewald's elegant verse made him the leading poet of his time. He studied for the ministry but soon turned to writing. His lyrical tr...

Heiberg, Johan Ludvig

(Encyclopedia)Heiberg, Johan Ludvig yōhănˈ lo͞oᵺˈvē hīˈbâr [key], 1791–1860, Danish writer, director of the National Theater. In the play Christmas Fun and New Year's Jesting (1817), he satirized leadi...

Schlüter, Poul Holmskov

(Encyclopedia)Schlüter, Poul Holmskov, 1929–, Danish political leader, prime minister of Denmark (1982–93). A member of the Conservative People's party, he served in the Danish parliament (1964–94) and becam...

Goldschmidt, Meïr Aaron

(Encyclopedia)Goldschmidt, Meïr Aaron mīˈər äˈrôn gôlˈshmĭt [key], 1819–97, Danish novelist, dramatist, and journalist. In his critical weekly Corsaren, he first spared, then ridiculed Kierkegaard. Gold...

Schleswig, former duchy, Germany and Denmark

(Encyclopedia)Schleswig shlĕsˈvĭkh [key], Dan. Slesvig, former duchy, N Germany and S Denmark, occupying the southern part of Jutland. The Eider River separates it from Holstein. German Schleswig forms part of S...

Harpestreng, Henrik

(Encyclopedia)Harpestreng, Henrik, or Henricus Dacus, d. 1244, Danish herbalist and medical writer. He probably studied at the medical school in Salerno, and was a canon at Roskilde Cathedral, then Denmark's eccles...

Saxo Grammaticus

(Encyclopedia)Saxo Grammaticus săkˈsō grəmătˈĭkəs [key], c.1150–c.1220, the first important Danish historian. He was in the service of Absalon, archbishop of Lund, at whose suggestion Saxo wrote the Gesta...