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John Maurice of Nassau

(Encyclopedia)John Maurice of Nassau, 1604–79, Dutch general and colonial administrator, a prince of the house of Nassau-Siegen; grandnephew of William the Silent. The Dutch West India Company appointed him (1636...

John of Ávila, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John of Ávila, Saint, c.1500–1569, Spanish Catholic preacher, author, clerical reformer, and spiritual leader, Doctor of the Church. After studying law, philosophy, and theology in Salamanca and Al...

John of Damascus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John of Damascus, Saint, or Saint John Damascene dămˈəsēn [key], c.675–c.749, Syrian theologian, Father of the Church and Doctor of the Church. He was brought up at the court of the caliph in Da...

John of Nepomuk, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John of Nepomuk, Saint nāˈpōmo͝ok [key], d. 1393, patron saint of Bohemia, a martyr. He is also called John Nepomucen. He was vicar general of Bohemia under King Wenceslaus IV (later Holy Roman Em...

Gustavus V

(Encyclopedia)Gustavus V, 1858–1950, king of Sweden (1907–50), son and successor of Oscar II. During his reign Sweden evolved toward political equality and economic prosperity and avoided military involvement i...

Alfonso IX, Spanish king of León

(Encyclopedia)Alfonso IX, 1171–1230, Spanish king of León (1188–1230), son and successor of Ferdinand II. He conquered from the Moors several cities in Extremadura and was frequently at war with Alfonso VIII o...

Mar, John Erskine, 2d (or 7th) earl of

(Encyclopedia)Mar, John Erskine, 2d (or 7th) earl of, 1558–1634, Scottish nobleman; son of the 1st (or 6th) earl. In 1578 he was persuaded by James Douglas, 4th earl of Morton, to assert his claims to Stirling Ca...

Somerset, Edmund Beaufort, 2d duke of

(Encyclopedia)Somerset, Edmund Beaufort, 2d duke of, d. 1455, English statesman and general. He fought in France in the Hundred Years War, receiving his first command in 1431, recapturing Harfleur in 1440, and reli...

Angevin

(Encyclopedia)Angevin ănˈjəvĭn [key] [Fr.,=of Anjou], name of two medieval dynasties originating in France. The first ruled over parts of France and over Jerusalem and England; the second ruled over parts of Fr...

Clisson, Olivier de

(Encyclopedia)Clisson, Olivier de ōlēvyāˈ də klēsôNˈ [key], 1336–1407, French soldier, b. Brittany. He fought on the English side in the War of the Breton Succession but entered the French service as comp...