Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Bignon, Louis Pierre Édouard

(Encyclopedia)Bignon, Louis Pierre Édouard lwē pyĕr ādwärˈ bēnyôNˈ [key], 1771–1841, French diplomat and historian. He held diplomatic posts under Napoleon, was acting minister of foreign affairs during ...

Murat, Joachim

(Encyclopedia)Murat, Joachim zhōäshăNˈ müräˈ [key], 1767–1815, marshal of France, king of Naples (1808–15). He left his theological studies to enter the army and fought in Egypt under Napoleon, whom he h...

Soult, Nicolas Jean de Dieu

(Encyclopedia)Soult, Nicolas Jean de Dieu nēkôläˈ zhäN də dyö so͞olt [key], 1769–1851, marshal of France. Having won distinction in the Napoleonic Wars, especially at the battle of Austerlitz, he was crea...

Bourmont, Louis Auguste, comte de Ghaisnes de

(Encyclopedia)Bourmont, Louis Auguste, comte de Ghaisnes de lwē ôgüstˈ kôNt də gân də bo͞ormôNˈ [key], 1773–1846, marshal of France. An émigré, he fought against the French Revolution under the princ...

Masséna, André

(Encyclopedia)Masséna, André äNdrāˈ mäsānäˈ [key], 1758–1817, marshal of France, b. Nice. Of humble origin, he entered (1791) the French army and rose rapidly because of his brilliant tactical abilities....

Kepler, Johannes

(Encyclopedia)Kepler, Johannes yōhäˈnəs kĕpˈlər [key], 1571–1630, German astronomer. From his student days at the Univ. of Tübingen, he was influenced by the Copernican teachings. From 1593 to 1598 he was...

Richelieu, Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Richelieu, Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, duc de ärmäNˈ ĕmänüĕlˈ dü plĕsēˈ dük də rēshəlyöˈ [key], 1766–1822, French statesman. An émigré from the French Revolution, he served Russi...

wapentake

(Encyclopedia)wapentake: see hundred.

Chang Chih-tung

(Encyclopedia)Chang Chih-tung jängˈ jûrˈ-do͝ongˈ [key], 1837–1909, Chinese Ch'ing dynasty statesman and educational reformer. He occupied the high post of governor-general for over two decades, first of Gua...

calendar

(Encyclopedia)calendar [Lat., from Kalends], system of reckoning time for the practical purpose of recording past events and calculating dates for future plans. The calendar is based on noting ordinary and easily o...