Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Fools, Feast of

(Encyclopedia)Fools, Feast of, burlesque religious festival of the Middle Ages. It occurred during the Christmas and New Year's revels, on or near New Year's Day. In many places a Lord of Misrule ruled over the rev...

Salisbury, town, England

(Encyclopedia)Salisbury sârˈəm [key], town (1991 pop. 36,890), Wiltshire, S England. A market town, Salisbury was founded in 1220 when the bishopric was moved there from Old Sarum. Squares or “checkers” are ...

Durham, county, England

(Encyclopedia)Durham, officially County Durham, county, 1,015 sq mi (2,629 sq km), NE England, on the North Sea between the Tees and Tyne rivers; administratively...

Leopold I, king of the Belgians

(Encyclopedia)Leopold I, 1790–1865, king of the Belgians (1831–65); youngest son of Francis Frederick, duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After serving as a page at the court of Napoleon I and as a general of the Ru...

Newport, town, England

(Encyclopedia)Newport, town (1991 pop. 19,758), Isle of Wight, S England. It is also a port and the commercial center of the island, with agricultural markets and light industries (plastics, soft drinks, and woodwo...

York, city, England

(Encyclopedia)York, city and unitary authority (2011 pop. 198,051), N England, at the confluence of the Ouse and Foss rivers. It is located at the historical junction of the three ridings of Yorkshire. York, a rail...

London, city, England

(Encyclopedia)London, capital of Great Britain, SE England, on both sides of the Thames River. Greater London (1991 pop. 6,378,600), c.620 sq mi (1,610 sq km), consists of the Corporation of the City of London (199...

Valentinian II

(Encyclopedia)Valentinian II, 371?–392, Roman emperor of the West (375–92), son of Valentinian I. Upon the death of his father, he was proclaimed emperor with his brother Gratian as coregent. After the death (3...

Northampton, city, England

(Encyclopedia)Northampton, city (1991 pop. 154,172) and district, Northamptonshire, central England, on the Nene River. The city of Northampton is the county seat. Shoemaking has long been the chief industry; engin...

Chelmsford, city, England

(Encyclopedia)Chelmsford, city, county seat of Essex, SE England. It is a market center (especially for cattle) for the surrounding agricultural district. Manufacture...