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Cohn, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Cohn, Ferdinand fĕrˈdĕnänt kōn [key], 1828–98, German botanist. He is considered a founder of the science of bacteriology. From his early studies of microscopic life he developed theories of th...

Tönnies, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Tönnies, Ferdinand fĕrˈdēnänt tönˈyəs [key], 1855–1936, German sociologist and political scientist. He is noted for his analysis of the distinction between the older form of spontaneous comm...

Raimund, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Raimund, Ferdinand fĕrˈdēnänt rīˈmo͝ont [key], 1790–1836, Austrian actor and dramatist. From 1817 he was a popular comedian in Vienna, and in 1823 he began to produce his own plays. Raimund w...

Bol, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Bol, Ferdinand fĕrˈdĭnänt bôl [key], 1616–80, Dutch painter. He studied with Rembrandt in Amsterdam, and his early work (e.g., Elizabeth Bas, Amsterdam) has sometimes been confused with that of...

Brunetière, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Brunetière, Ferdinand fĕrdēnäNˈ brünətyĕrˈ [key], 1849–1906, French literary critic. An opponent of naturalism, he believed that literature should reflect a moral order. His vast learning i...

Cambrai, Treaty of

(Encyclopedia)Cambrai, Treaty of, called the Ladies' Peace, treaty negotiated and signed in 1529 by Louise of Savoy, representing her son Francis I of France, and Margaret of Austria, representing her nephew Holy R...

Wettingen

(Encyclopedia)Wettingen vĕtˈĭng-ən [key], town (1990 pop. 17,706), Aargau canton, N Switzerland. It is the site of the Zürich power station and of industries that produce textiles and metal goods. In the town ...

abdication

(Encyclopedia)abdication, in a political sense, renunciation of high public office, usually by a monarch. Some abdications have been purely voluntary and resulted in no loss of prestige. For instance, Holy Roman Em...

Vehmgericht

(Encyclopedia)Vehmgericht fāˈmĭk [key], in medieval Germany, a type of criminal tribunal. The inability of the Holy Roman emperors to exercise effective central control over their lands and the extensive feudal ...

Louis III, French king

(Encyclopedia)Louis III, c.863–882, French king, son of King Louis II. He became joint ruler with his brother Carloman on the death of Louis II (879), despite the attempts of Louis the Younger to become French ki...