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Holstein

(Encyclopedia)Holstein, former duchy, N central Germany, the part of Schleswig-Holstein S of the Eider River. Kiel and Rendsburg were the chief cities. For a description of Holstein and for its history after 1814, ...

Saint-Simon, Louis de Rouvroy, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Simon, Louis de Rouvroy, duc de də săN-sēmôNˈ [key], 1675–1755, French writer of memoirs and courtier. He resigned (1702) from the army after his arrogance had involved him in a quarrel ...

Sigismund II

(Encyclopedia)Sigismund II or Sigismund Augustus, 1520–72, king of Poland (1548–72). Crowned in 1530 to assure his succession, he assumed the royal functions at the death of his father, Sigismund I. By the Unio...

Wiesbaden

(Encyclopedia)Wiesbaden vēsˈbäˌdən, vĭsˈ– [key], city (1994 pop. 270,873), capital of Hesse, central Germany, on the Rhine River, at the southern foot of the Taunus Mts. The city, an industrial center and ...

Adolf of Nassau

(Encyclopedia)Adolf of Nassau näˈsou [key], d. 1298, duke of Luxembourg, German king (1292–98). He owed his election to the ecclesiastical electors, who, fearing the growing power and ambition of the Hapsburgs,...

Rhenish Slate Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Rhenish Slate Mountains, Ger. Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, extensive mountainous plateau, W Germany, lying between W Hesse state and the borders of Belgium and Luxembourg. It comprises the Eifel, Huns...

Knights Hospitalers

(Encyclopedia)Knights Hospitalers, members of the military and religious Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, sometimes called the Knights of St. John and the Knights of Jerusalem. The symbol of the Orde...

East Prussia

(Encyclopedia)East Prussia, Ger. Ostpreussen, former province of Prussia, extreme NE Germany. The region of East Prussia has low rolling hills that are heavily wooded, and it is dotted by many lakes (especially in ...

Bug, river, E Europe, also known as Western Bug

(Encyclopedia)Bug bo͞og, bŭg [key], Pol. Bug, Ukr. Buh or Zakhidnyy Buh, river, c.480 mi (770 km) long, rising in the Volhynian-Podolian hills, W Ukraine. It flows N along the Polish-Ukrainian and Polish-Belarusi...

Moselle, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Moselle mōzĕlˈ [key], department (1990 pop. 1,011,400), NE France, bordering on Luxembourg and Germany. Metz is the capital. ...