Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Humayun

(Encyclopedia)Humayun or Homayun ho͝omäˈyo͞on [key], 1507–56, second Mughal emperor of India (1530–56), son and successor of Babur. In 1535, pressed by enemy incursions into Rajasthan, Humayun defeated the ...

Jalalabad

(Encyclopedia)Jalalabad jəläˌläbädˈ, jəlălˈəbăd [key], city (1979 pop. 53,915), capital of Nangarhar prov., E Afghanistan, near the Khyber Pass. The city dominates the entrances to the Laghman and Kunar ...

jungle fowl

(Encyclopedia)jungle fowl, common name for small, terrestrial wild fowl comprising four species in the genus Gallus. Most important of these is the red jungle fowl, which Charles Darwin determined to be the ancesto...

Elgin, James Bruce, 8th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Elgin, James Bruce, 8th earl of ĕlˈgĭn [key], 1811–63, British statesman, son of the 7th earl. He served as governor of Jamaica (1842–46) and in 1847 was appointed governor-general of Canada. T...

Brahmaputra

(Encyclopedia)Brahmaputra bräməpo͞oˈtrə [key] [Sanskrit,=son of Brahma], river, c.1,800 mi (2,900 km) long, rising in the Kailas range of the Himalayas, SW Tibet, China, and flowing through NE India to join wi...

Stephen, Sir James Fitzjames

(Encyclopedia)Stephen, Sir James Fitzjames, 1829–94, English jurist and journalist; brother of Sir Leslie Stephen. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge and was admitted to the bar in 1854. After 1855 he wrote ma...

Camões, Luís de

(Encyclopedia)Camões or Camoens, Luís de both: lo͞oēshˈ dĭ kəmoiNshˈ [key], 1524?–1580, Portuguese poet, the greatest figure in Portuguese literature. Born of a poor family, Camões gained wide familiarit...

Lashkar

(Encyclopedia)Lashkar ləshˈkər [key], city, Madhya Pradesh state, central India. Formerly the capital of Madhya Bharat state, it adjoins Gwalior town and is a modern commercial center and transportation hub. Vic...

Shillong

(Encyclopedia)Shillong shĭlôngˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 223,366), capital of Meghalaya state, NE India. It is a summer resort c.5,000 ft (1,525 m) high in the Khasi Hills. There are two colleges. Christian Khasi ...

Sikar

(Encyclopedia)Sikar sēˈkər [key], walled town (1991 pop. 148,272), Rajasthan state, NW India. Sikar, c.1,500 ft (460 m) above sea level, is a district administrative center and a market for grain and tobacco. Th...

Browse by Subject