Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Gideon

(Encyclopedia)Gideon jērŭbˈāəl, –rəbāˈəl [key], in the Bible, a 12th-century Israelite warrior of the tribe of Mannasseh, and one of the greater judges of Israel. The Book of Judges relates that Gideon w...

Godefroy

(Encyclopedia)Godefroy gôdfrwäˈ [key], family of French scholars. Denis Godefroy, 1549–1622, was a Calvinist who fled (c.1580) to Geneva and later became a professor of law at Strasbourg and Heidelberg. He com...

Dhlakama, Afonso Marceta Macacho

(Encyclopedia)Dhlakama, Afonso Marceta Macacho, 1953–2018, Mozambican rebel leader and opposition figure. Conscripted into the Portuguese colonial army, he soon deserted and fought briefly with the Marxist Mozamb...

Tsushima

(Encyclopedia)Tsushima tso͞oˈshēmä [key], two Japanese islands in Korea Strait. The islands are rocky, and fishing is the main occupation. Nearby, in May, 1905, occurred the major naval battle of the Russo-Japa...

Ussuri

(Encyclopedia)Ussuri o͞oso͞oˈrē [key], Mandarin Wusuli, river, c.365 mi (590 km) long, formed by the confluence of the Ulukhe and Daubikhe rivers, S Maritime Territory, Russian Far East. It flows N to the Amur ...

Portland, William Bentinck, 1st earl of

(Encyclopedia)Portland, William Bentinck, 1st earl of, 1649–1709, Dutch statesman in England. He was William III's most trusted personal adviser. In 1677 he engaged in negotiating the marriage of William (then pr...

Orlando, Vittorio Emanuele

(Encyclopedia)Orlando, Vittorio Emanuele vēt-tôˈrēō āmänwĕˈlā ōrlänˈdō [key], 1860–1952, Italian statesman and jurist. He held several cabinet posts from 1903 to 1917 and was premier from 1917 to 19...

Patkul, Johann Reinhold von

(Encyclopedia)Patkul, Johann Reinhold von yōˈhän rīnˈhôlt fən pätˈko͝ol [key], 1660–1707, Livonian nobleman. He incurred the wrath of Charles XI of Sweden by championing the rights of the Livonian gentr...

Galliffet, Gaston Alexandre Auguste, marquis de

(Encyclopedia)Galliffet, Gaston Alexandre Auguste, marquis de gästôNˈ älĕksäNˈdrə ōgüstˈ märkēˈ də gälēfāˈ [key], 1830–1909, French general. He served in the Crimean War, in colonial campaigns,...

García Robles, Alfonso

(Encyclopedia)García Robles, Alfonso älfônˈsō gärsēˈä rōˈblās [key], 1911–91, Mexican statesman, b. Zamora, Mex. After studying law in Europe, he entered the Mexican foreign service in 1939. He was a ...

Browse by Subject