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Messmer, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Messmer, Pierre (Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer) pyĕr mĕsmāˈ [key], 1916–, French political leader. In World War II he fought with the Free French forces before joining General de Gaulle's staff....

Gassendi, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Gassendi, Pierre pyĕr gäsäNdēˈ [key], 1592–1655, French philosopher and scientist. A teacher and priest, Gassendi taught at Digne, Aix, and the Royal College at Paris and held several church of...

Laval, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Laval, Pierre lävälˈ [key], 1883–1945, French politician. Elected (1914) to the chamber of deputies as a Socialist, he held various cabinet posts and in 1926 became a senator as an Independent, ...

Mignard, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Mignard, Pierre pyĕr mēnyärˈ [key], 1612–95, French painter. In 1657 he was summoned by Louis XIV to portray the king and celebrities of the court. In 1664 he decorated, in fresco, the cupola of...

Werner, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Werner, Pierre pyĕr vĕrˈnər [key], 1913–2002, political leader in Luxembourg. A lawyer, he held various posts in the ministry of finance after World War II. Secretary to the council of governmen...

Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Jacques Henri

(Encyclopedia)Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Jacques Henri zhäk äNrēˈ bĕrnärdăNˈ də săN–pyĕrˈ [key], 1737–1814, French naturalist and author. He was a friend of Rousseau, by whom he was strongly influen...

Bérégovoy, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Bérégovoy, Pierre pēĕrˌ bārāgōvoiˈ [key], 1925–93, French politician. A leader of the Socialist party after 1969, he was an adviser (1981–82) to François Mitterrand, under whose governme...

Klossowski, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Klossowski, Pierre: see under Balthus. ...

Nicole, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Nicole, Pierre pyĕr nēkôlˈ [key], 1625–95, French Jansenist writer. He studied and taught at Port-Royal abbey, the center of Jansenism (see under Jansen, Cornelis). One of his pupils there was R...

Loti, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Loti, Pierre zhülyăNˈ vyō [key], 1850–1923, French novelist, an officer in the French navy. He achieved popularity with his impressionistic romances of adventure in exotic lands, such as Aziyad�...