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Bunau-Varilla, Philippe Jean

(Encyclopedia)Bunau-Varilla, Philippe Jean fēlēpˈ zhäN bünōˈ-värēyäˈ [key], 1859–1940, French engineer, prominent in the Panama Canal controversy. An engineer after 1884 in the original French company ...

Anville, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'

(Encyclopedia)Anville, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d' zhäN bätēstˈ bo͞orgēnyôNˈ däNvēlˈ [key], 1697–1782, French geographer and cartographer. His maps of ancient geography, characterized by careful, accu...

Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, Jean zhäN dāmärāˈ də săN-sôrlăNˈ [key], 1595–1676, French poet and dramatist. A protégé of Richelieu, he was a founding member of the French Academy. In 1670 h...

Merle d'Aubigné, Jean Henri

(Encyclopedia)Merle d'Aubigné, Jean Henri zhäN äNrēˈ mĕrl dōbēnyāˈ [key], 1794–1872, Swiss ecclesiastical historian and Protestant preacher. After studying theology at Geneva and in Berlin, he was pasto...

Hérault de Séchelles, Marie Jean

(Encyclopedia)Hérault de Séchelles, Marie Jean märēˈ zhäN ārōˈ də sāshĕlˈ [key], 1759–94, French revolutionary. A lawyer, he became a favorite of Queen Marie Antoinette, but nevertheless joined the r...

La Fontaine, Jean de

(Encyclopedia)La Fontaine, Jean de zhäN də [key], 1621–95, French poet, whose celebrated fables place him among the masters of world literature. He was born at Château-Thierry to a bourgeois family. A restless...

Dunois, Jean, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Dunois, Jean, comte de zhäN kôNt də dünwäˈ [key], c.1403–1468, French general, called the Bastard of Orléans; natural son of Louis, duc d'Orléans. He joined the Armagnacs in the civil war du...

Collot d'Herbois, Jean Marie

(Encyclopedia)Collot d'Herbois, Jean Marie zhäN märēˈ kōlōˈ dĕrbwäˈ [key], 1750–96, French revolutionary, originally an actor and playwright. Although a member of his Jacobin club, he favored a constitu...

Cambacérès, Jean Jacques Régis de

(Encyclopedia)Cambacérès, Jean Jacques Régis de zhäN zhäk rāzhēsˈ də käNbäsārĕsˈ [key], 1753–1824, French revolutionary and legislator. He was deputy to the National Convention and to the Council of...

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