Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Ho-shen

(Encyclopedia)Ho-shen hô-shŭn [key], 1750–99, Manchu official noted for symbolizing the widespread corruption of the Ch'ing dynasty of China during its decline. As a favorite of emperor Ch'ien-lung, he rose, wi...

Hecker, Friedrich Franz Karl

(Encyclopedia)Hecker, Friedrich Franz Karl frēˈdrĭkh fränts kärl hĕkˈər [key], 1811–81, German revolutionary. A lawyer, he was a leader of the radical republicans in the grand duchy of Baden and during th...

Jiaxing

(Encyclopedia)Jiaxing käˈshĭngˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 227,600), N Zhejiang prov., SE China, at the junction of the Grand Canal, the Huangpu River, and the Hangzhou-Shanghai RR. An important marketing cent...

Mayer, Louis Burt

(Encyclopedia)Mayer, Louis Burt, 1885–1957, American movie producer, b. Russia. Mayer began (1907) as the operator of a theater in Haverhill, Mass., gradually gaining control of all the theaters in the city. In 1...

Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit

(Encyclopedia)Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit dänyĕlˈ fräNswäˈ ĕsprēˈ ōbĕrˈ [key], 1782–1871, French operatic composer. His greatest successes resulted from his collaboration with the librettist Scribe...

Murom

(Encyclopedia)Murom mo͞oˈrəm [key], city (1989 pop. 124,000), W central European Russia, on the Oka River. It is a port and a rail junction, with railroad repair shops and machinery, woodworking, and textile ind...

Kulikovo, battle of

(Encyclopedia)Kulikovo, battle of ko͞olyĭkôˈvə [key], 1380, victory of Grand Duke Dmitri Donskoi of Moscow over Khan Mamai of the Golden Horde. The battle was fought on a plain by the Don near the present vill...

Laforet, Carmen

(Encyclopedia)Laforet, Carmen (Carmen Laforet Díaz) kärˈmān läfōrĕtˈ [key], 1921–2004, Spanish writer, b. Barcelona. Her first novel, Nada (1945, tr. Andrea 1964), which describes the spiritual desolation...

Spada, Lionello

(Encyclopedia)Spada, Lionello lyōnĕlˈlō späˈdä [key], 1576–1622, Italian painter, active mainly in Emilia. His signature was an L placed across a sword [Ital. spada=sword]. His work shows influence of the ...

Sarsfield, Patrick, earl of Lucan

(Encyclopedia)Sarsfield, Patrick, earl of Lucan särsˈfēld, lo͞oˈkən [key], d. 1693, Irish Jacobite general. A firm supporter of James II, he went with him into exile. He commanded James's forces in Ireland an...