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Benjamin of Tudela

(Encyclopedia)Benjamin of Tudela to͞odāˈlä [key], d.1173, rabbi considered the first European to approach the borders of China, b. Tudela, Spain. He traveled (1159–73) through Italy, Greece, Palestine, Persia...

Dance Theatre of Harlem

(Encyclopedia)Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first black classical ballet company. The group was founded in Harlem, New York City, by Arthur Mitchell, then of the New York City Ballet, the first African-American prin...

Strachan, John

(Encyclopedia)Strachan, John strôn [key], 1778–1867, Canadian Anglican prelate, b. Scotland. As a member of the executive council of Upper Canada (1815–36) and of the legislative council (1820–41), he was an...

Churches of Christ

(Encyclopedia)Churches of Christ, conservative body of evangelical Protestants in the United States. Its founders were originally members of what is now the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who gradually with...

Luna, Pedro de

(Encyclopedia)Luna, Pedro de dā lo͞oˈnä [key], 1328?–1423?, Aragonese churchman, antipope (1394–1417) with the name Benedict XIII. He was a doctor of canon law and as cardinal (1375) became an outstanding ...

Alexius III

(Encyclopedia)Alexius III (Alexius Angelus) ănˈjələs [key], d. after 1210, Byzantine emperor (1195–1203). He acceded to power by deposing and blinding his brother Isaac II. This act served as pretext for the ...

Stoph, Willi

(Encyclopedia)Stoph, Willi vĭlˈē shtôf [key], 1914–99, East German political leader. A member of the German Communist party from 1931, he helped build the East German Socialist Unity (Communist) party after W...

Eudoxus of Cyzicus

(Encyclopedia)Eudoxus of Cyzicus sĭzˈĭkəs [key], fl. 130 b.c., Greek navigator in the service of the Ptolemies. He explored the Arabian Sea for Ptolemy VIII. After being blown from his course to the east coast ...

Albert of Brandenburg

(Encyclopedia)Albert of Brandenburg, 1490–1568, grand master of the Teutonic Knights (1511–25), first duke of Prussia (1525–68); grandson of Elector Albert Achilles of Brandenburg. In 1525 he became a Protest...

Dionysius of Halicarnassus

(Encyclopedia)Dionysius of Halicarnassus hălˌĭkärnăsˈəs [key], fl. late 1st cent. b.c., Greek rhetorician and historian. He taught at Rome and was one of the most celebrated of ancient critics. Among his ext...