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Le Daim, Olivier

(Encyclopedia)Le Daim or Le Dain, Olivier both: ôlēvyāˈ lə dăN [key], d. 1484, favorite of King Louis XI of France. His original surname was Necker. Beginning as the king's barber and valet, he gained great i...

Landes, region, France

(Encyclopedia)Landes läNd [key], region, SW France. It is a vast, flat, nearly triangular tract of sand and marshland, stretching along the Atlantic coast for more than 100 mi (160 km) between the Adour River and ...

king crow

(Encyclopedia)king crow: see drongo.

king devil

(Encyclopedia)king devil: see hawkweed.

Fizeau, Armand Hippolyte Louis

(Encyclopedia)Fizeau, Armand Hippolyte Louis ärmäNˈ ēpôlētˈ lwē fēzōˈ [key], 1819–96, French physicist. The first to measure (1849) the velocity of light in air, he also determined its speed in water. ...

King Arthur

(Encyclopedia)King Arthur: see Arthurian legend. ...

Alfonso IV, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Alfonso IV, 1291–1357, king of Portugal (1325–57), son and successor of Diniz. Disgruntled by the favoritism his father showed toward Alfonso's illegitimate half-brothers, Alfonso rose in revolt i...

Vienne, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Vienne vyĕn [key], department (1990 pop. 380,900), W central France, in Poitou. Poitiers is the capital. ...

Cher, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Cher shĕr [key], department, central France, in Berry. Chief cities are Vierzon and Bour...

Marne, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Marne märn [key], department (1990 pop. 559,600), NE France, in Champagne. Châlons-en-Champagne is the capital. ...