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Maurepas, Jean Frédéric Phélippeaux, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Maurepas, Jean Frédéric Phélippeaux, comte de zhäN frādārēkˈ fālēpōˈ kôNt də môrəpäˈ [key], 1701–81, French statesman. He succeeded his father as minister of state at 14, the post ...

Staël, Germaine de

(Encyclopedia)Staël, Germaine de zhĕrmĕnˈ də stäl [key], 1766–1817, French-Swiss woman of letters, whose full name was Anne Louise Germaine Necker, baronne de Staël-Holstein. Born in Paris, the daughter of...

Knights Templars, in medieval history

(Encyclopedia)Knights Templars tĕmˈplərz [key], in medieval history, members of the military and religious order of the Poor Knights of Christ, called the Knights of the Temple of Solomon from their house in Jer...

Androuet du Cerceau

(Encyclopedia)Androuet du Cerceau äNdro͞o-āˈ dü sĕrsōˈ [key], family of French architects active in the 16th and 17th cent. It was founded by Jacques Androuet, c.1520–c.1584, surnamed du Cerceau [Fr.,=cir...

Récamier, Juliette

(Encyclopedia)Récamier, Juliette zhülyĕtˈ rākämyāˈ [key], 1777–1849, celebrated French beauty and social figure, née Jeanne Françoise Julie Adelaïde Bernard. At 15 she married Jacques Récamier, a weal...

Daguerre, Louis Jacques Mandé

(Encyclopedia)Daguerre, Louis Jacques Mandé lwē zhäk mäNdāˈ dägârˈ [key], 1789–1851, French scene painter and physicist, inventor of the daguerreotype, a photograph produced on a silver-coated copper pla...

Charles, Jacques Alexandre César

(Encyclopedia)Charles, Jacques Alexandre César zhäk älĕksäNˈdrə sāzärˈ shärl [key], 1746–1823, French physicist. He confirmed Benjamin Franklin's electrical experiments, became interested in aeronautic...

Joffre, Joseph Jacques Césaire

(Encyclopedia)Joffre, Joseph Jacques Césaire zhôzĕfˈ zhäk sāzĕrˈ zhôˈfrə [key], 1852–1931, marshal of France. He began his career as a military engineer in the French colonies and was appointed French ...

Nau, Jacques Jean David

(Encyclopedia)Nau, Jacques Jean David zhäk zhäN dävēdˈ nō [key], c.1630–1671, French pirate in the West Indies. He is also called François L'Olonnois. He went to the West Indies in 1650. Expelled in 1653 f...

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