Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Joseph, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Joseph, 1714–77, king of Portugal (1750–77), son and successor of John V. Little inclined to rule, his reign was dominated by his minister, the marquês de Pombal. After Lisbon was partially destr...

Brooks, Phillips

(Encyclopedia)Brooks, Phillips, 1835–93, American Episcopal bishop, b. Boston. In 1869 he began his ministry at Trinity Church, Boston, where he became one of the most influential ministers of his time. In 1891 h...

Browne, Hablot Knight

(Encyclopedia)Browne, Hablot Knight hăbˈlō [key], pseud. Phiz, 1815–82, English illustrator. At 21 he was chosen by Charles Dickens to illustrate Pickwick Papers. His success was immediate, and in due course h...

Lenox, James

(Encyclopedia)Lenox, James lĕnˈəks [key], 1800–1880, American bibliophile and philanthropist, b. New York City. Lenox was a founder of the Presbyterian Hospital, New York City. He amassed a fine collection of ...

Sargon, king of Assyria

(Encyclopedia)Sargon, d. 705 b.c., king of Assyria (722–705 b.c.), successor to Shalmaneser V. He completed Shalmaneser's siege of Samaria in 721 b.c., thus destroying the northern Israelite kingdom forever. In 7...

Commonwealth Fund

(Encyclopedia)Commonwealth Fund, foundation established (1918) by Anna M. Harkness, wife of Stephen V. Harkness, an early Standard Oil investor, “for the welfare of mankind.” Its headquarters are in New York Ci...

Commonwealth games

(Encyclopedia)Commonwealth games, series of amateur athletic meets held among citizens of countries in the Commonwealth of Nations. Originated (1930) as the British Empire games, the series is held every four years...

Frunze, Mikhail Vasilyevich

(Encyclopedia)Frunze, Mikhail Vasilyevich mēkhəyēlˈ vəsēˈlyəvĭch fro͞onˈzĕ [key], 1885–1925, Russian general. A revolutionary, he was exiled (1914) to Siberia but returned to take part in the October ...

Anson, George Anson, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Anson, George Anson, Baron, 1697–1762, British admiral. In his famous voyage (1740–44) around the world, Anson, in spite of shipwrecks and scurvy, inflicted great damage on Spanish shipping and re...

Hoccleve, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Hoccleve or Occleve, Thomas hŏkˈlēv, ŏkˈ– [key], c.1368–c.1450, English poet, an imitator of Chaucer. He was a clerk in the office of the Privy Seal. His longest work, The Regiment of Princes...

Browse by Subject