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Almeida, Francisco de

(Encyclopedia)Almeida, Francisco de dĭ älmāˈdə [key], c.1450–1510, Portuguese admiral, first viceroy of Portuguese India. He was first sent to India in 1503 as captain major of a fleet and helped Portuguese...

Du Pont de Nemours, Pierre Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Du Pont de Nemours, Pierre Samuel pyĕr sämüĕlˈ dü pôN də nəmo͞orˈ [key], 1739–1817, French economist, one of the physiocrats. Early in his career he attracted the attention of François Q...

De Soto, Hernando

(Encyclopedia)De Soto, Hernando dĭsōˈtō, Span. ĕrnänˈdō dā sōˈtō [key], c.1500–1542, Spanish explorer. After serving under Pedro Arias de Ávila in Central America and under Francisco Pizarro in Peru,...

Margaret II

(Encyclopedia)Margaret II (Margrethe), 1940–, queen of Denmark (1972–). The oldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid (the daughter of King Gustavus VI of Sweden), Princess Margrethe's right to the ...

Vieuxtemps, Henri

(Encyclopedia)Vieuxtemps, Henri äNrēˈ vyötäNˈ [key], 1820–81, Belgian violinist and composer. He toured Europe and the United States and taught in St. Petersburg (1846–51), where he was also court violini...

Aubry de Montdidier

(Encyclopedia)Aubry de Montdidier ōbrēˈ də môNdēdyāˈ [key], in French legend, a French courtier of King Charles V, murdered c.1371 near Montargis by one Macaire. The animosity of Aubry's dog toward Macaire ...

Koninck, Philips de

(Encyclopedia)Koninck or Coningh, Philips de fēˈlĭps də kōˈnĭngk, kōˈnĭng [key], 1619–88, Dutch landscape and portrait painter. His panoramic landscapes, rich and warm in tone, suggest dramatic atmosphe...

Marie de France

(Encyclopedia)Marie de France də fräNs [key], fl. 1155–90, poet. Born in France, she spent her adult life in England in aristocratic circles and wrote in Anglo-Norman. She is best known for some dozen lais; sev...

Richard de Bury

(Encyclopedia)Richard de Bury bĕrˈē [key], 1287–1345, English bibliophile and bishop of Durham. His name was Aungerville, but he was called Bury from his birthplace, Bury St. Edmunds. Under Edward III he serve...

chemin de fer

(Encyclopedia)chemin de fer shəmănˈ də fûr, Fr. shəmăNˈ də fĕr [key] [Fr.,=railroad], the most popular gambling card game in Europe. The present day versions are variations of Italian baccara which Charle...