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Frazier, Joe

(Encyclopedia)Frazier, Joe (William Joseph Frazier), 1944–2011, African-American boxer, b. Beaufort, S.C. Known for a brawling style and devastating left hook, “Smokin' Joe” won Olympic gold in 1964 and turne...

Al Karak

(Encyclopedia)Al Karak äl käräkˈ [key], town (1997 est. pop. 19,000), W central Jordan. It is also known as Krak. It is a road junction and an agricultural trade center. The ancient Kir Moab (also mentioned in ...

Ibn Batuta

(Encyclopedia)Ibn Batuta ĭˈbən bäto͞oˈtä [key], 1304?–1378?, Muslim traveler, b. Tangier. No other medieval traveler is known to have journeyed so extensively. In 30 years (from c.1325) he made a series of...

Zweibrücken

(Encyclopedia)Zweibrücken tsvīˌbrüˈkən [key], Fr. Deux-Ponts, city (1994 pop. 35,704), Rhineland-Palatinate, W Germany, near the Saarland border. Zweibrücken is a transportation center and has ironworks, ste...

Mecca

(Encyclopedia)Mecca măkˈə [key], city (1993 pop. 966,381), capital of the Hejaz, W Saudi Arabia. The birthplace c.a.d. 570 of Muhammad the Prophet, it is the holiest city of Islam, and the goal of the annual Mus...

Slatin, Rudolf Carl, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Slatin, Rudolf Carl, Freiherr von päˈshä [key], 1857–1932, Austrian adventurer in British and Egyptian service. Called to Egypt by C. G. Gordon, Slatin became governor of Dara (1879) and governor...

Kerman

(Encyclopedia)Kerman kĕrmänˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 311,643), capital of Kerman prov., E central Iran. It is noted for making and exporting carpets. Cotton textiles and goats-wool shawls are also manufactured. K...

Ptolemy XII

(Encyclopedia)Ptolemy XII (Ptolemy Auletes) ôlēˈtēz [key], d. 51 b.c., king of ancient Egypt (80–58 b.c., 55–51 b.c.), of the Macedonian dynasty, illegitimate son of Ptolemy IX. He is also called Ptolemy Ne...

Tewfik Pasha

(Encyclopedia)Tewfik Pasha (Muhammad Tewfik) toufēkˈ päshäˈ [key], 1852–92, khedive of Egypt (1879–92). He acceded to office when his father, Ismail Pasha, was deposed. In 1880, Tewfik accepted joint Frenc...

Farouk

(Encyclopedia)Farouk färo͞okˈ [key], 1920–65, king of Egypt (1936–52), son and successor of Fuad I. After a short regency he acceded (1937) to the throne. A constitutional monarch, Farouk was frequently at o...