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Franco-Prussian War

(Encyclopedia)Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, 1870–71, conflict between France and Prussia that signaled the rise of German military power and imperialism. It was provoked by Otto von Bismarck (the Prus...

Kharkiv

(Encyclopedia)Kharkiv khärˈkəf [key], Rus. Kharkov, city (1990 est. pop. 1,600,000), capital of Kharkiv region, E Ukraine, at the confluence of the Kharkiv, Lopan, and Udy rivers in the upper Donets valley. Ukra...

Louise

(Encyclopedia)Louise ləwēzˈ [key], 1776–1810, queen of Prussia, consort of Frederick William III; a princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. During the Napoleonic Wars her patriotism and bravery won her lasting popul...

Abu Qir

(Encyclopedia)Abu Qir or Abukir both: ăˌbo͞okērˈ, əbo͞oˈkər [key], village, N Egypt, on a promontory in the Nile River delta. Admiral Horatio Nelson's victory over the French fleet off Abu Qir on Aug. 1–...

Farnborough

(Encyclopedia)Farnborough färnˈbərə [key], town, Hampshire, S England. It is the site of the Royal Aircraft ...

Trianon

(Encyclopedia)Trianon trēänôNˈ [key], two small châteaux in the park of Versailles, Seine-et-Oise dept., N France. The Grand Trianon was built by J. H. Mansart in 1687 for Louis XIV; Napoleon I sometimes used ...

Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph, Baron, 1768–1830, French mathematician and physicist. He was noted for his researches on heat and on numerical equations. He originated Fourier's theorem on vibratory ...

Dufour, Guillaume Henri

(Encyclopedia)Dufour, Guillaume Henri gēyōmˈ äNrēˈ düfo͞orˈ [key], 1787–1875, Swiss general. He served in the French army under Napoleon I, and in 1847 he led the Swiss federal forces to victory against ...

Duruy, Victor

(Encyclopedia)Duruy, Victor vēktôrˈ dürüēˈ [key], 1811–94, French historian. He was a professor at Reims and Paris, and as minister of public instruction (1863–69) under Napoleon III he encouraged the ad...

Guastalla

(Encyclopedia)Guastalla gwästälˈlä [key], town, Emilia-Romagna, N Italy, on the Po River. It is an agri...