Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Pleven, René

(Encyclopedia)Pleven, René rənāˈ plĕväNˈ [key], 1901–93, French political leader. He held various diplomatic and financial posts in the Free French government during World War II and served (1944–46) as ...

Zimmermann note

(Encyclopedia)Zimmermann note, secret telegram sent on Jan. 16, 1917, by German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann to Count Johann von Bernstorff, the German ambassador to the United States. In it Zimmermann said ...

Waite, Terry

(Encyclopedia)Waite, Terry (Terence Waite), 1939–, British church official. An adviser to Robert Runcie, the archbishop of Canterbury, he successfully negotiated the release of British hostages in Iran (1981) and...

Whiting, William Henry Chase

(Encyclopedia)Whiting, William Henry Chase, 1825–65, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Biloxi, Miss. He served in the U.S. army until Feb., 1861, when he resigned and entered the Confederate servi...

Czech literature

(Encyclopedia)Czech literature, literary works that constitute part of the Czech culture and, except for some early compositions written in liturgical languages, is in the Czech language. After 1890 realism gaine...

Arusha

(Encyclopedia)Arusha əro͞oˈshə [key], city (2020 pop. 493,000), capital of Arusha prov., NE Tanzania. It is an industrial and administrative center, connected by rail with Tanga on ...

Muhammad XI, sultan of Granada

(Encyclopedia)Muhammad XI, d. 1538, last sultan of Granada in Spain (1482–92); also called Boabdil by the Spanish. He seized the throne from his father and thus plunged Granada into civil war at the time the Cast...

Marshall, James Wilson

(Encyclopedia)Marshall, James Wilson, 1810–85, American pioneer, discoverer of gold in California, b. Hunterdon co., N.J. Migrating to California for his health, he arrived at Sutter's Fort (site of present Sacra...

Mary of England

(Encyclopedia)Mary of England (Mary Tudor), 1496–1533, queen consort of Louis XII of France, daughter of Henry VII of England and sister of Henry VIII. She was betrothed in 1507 to the future Holy Roman Emperor C...

Balmaceda, José

(Encyclopedia)Balmaceda, José hōsāˈ bälmäsāˈᵺä [key], 1840–91, president of Chile (1886–91). A leader of a liberal, anticlerical group, he was sent as minister (1878) to Argentina, where he successfu...

Browse by Subject