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Retz, Gilles de Laval, seigneur de

(Encyclopedia)Retz or Rais, Gilles de Laval, seigneur de zhēl də lävälˈ sānyörˈ də rĕts, rĕs [key], 1404–40, marshal of France, a lord of the Breton marches. A noted soldier, he was at Orléans with Jo...

Butor, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Butor, Michel mēshĕlˈ bütôrˈ [key], 1926–2016, French novelist and critic. As one of the chief exponents of the nouveau roman [new novel] (see French literature), Butor was less interested in ...

Monluc, Blaise de

(Encyclopedia)Monluc, Blaise de: see Montluc, Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de. ...

Baron, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Baron or Boyron, Michel mēshĕlˈ bärôNˈ or bwärôNˈ [key], 1653–1729, one of the first great French actors. A protégé of Molière, he acted at the Hôtel de Bourgogne and at the Comédie Fr...

Chamillart, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Chamillart or Chamillard, Michel both: mēshĕlˈ shämēyärˈ [key], 1652–1721, French statesman. He was named controller general of finances (1699), minister of state (1700), and minister of war ...

Bayard, Pierre Terrail, seigneur de

(Encyclopedia)Bayard, Pierre Terrail, seigneur de bāˈərd; pyĕr tĕrīˈyə sānyörˈ də bäyärˈ [key], c.1474–1524, French military hero, called le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche [the knight without...

Langlade, Charles Michel de

(Encyclopedia)Langlade, Charles Michel de shärl mēshĕlˈ də [key], 1729–1800, pioneer in present-day Wisconsin and soldier, b. Mackinac region, now in Mich.; son of a trader, Augustin Langlade, who establishe...

L'Hôpital, Michel de

(Encyclopedia)L'Hôpital or L'Hospital, Michel de both: mēshĕlˈ də lōpētälˈ [key], c.1505–1573, chancellor of France under Catherine de' Medici. He was Catherine's chief collaborator in the policy of reli...

Foucault, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Foucault, Michel, 1926–84, French philosopher and historian. He was professor at the Collège de France (1970–84). He is renowned for historical studies that reveal the sometimes morally disturbin...

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