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Saint-Vallier, Jean Baptiste de la Croix

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Vallier, Jean Baptiste de la Croix zhäN bätēstˈ də lä krwä săN-välyāˈ [key], 1653–1727, Roman Catholic bishop of Quebec, b. France. He succeeded François Xavier de Laval in 1688 af...

Medici, Lorenzo de', 1492–1519, duke of Urbino

(Encyclopedia)Medici, Lorenzo de', 1492–1519, duke of Urbino (1516–19); son of Piero de' Medici. His uncle, Pope Leo X, made the youthful Lorenzo duke of Urbino. After his early death, however, Urbino reverted ...

Simeon I

(Encyclopedia)Simeon I, c.863–927, ruler (893–927) and later first czar of Bulgaria. He was placed on the throne by his father, Boris I, who had returned from a monastery to depose his first son, Vladimir (reig...

James, Saint (St. James the Less)

(Encyclopedia)James, Saint, in the Bible, one of the Twelve Apostles, called St. James the Less or St. James the Little. He was the son of Alphaeus; his mother, Mary, was one of those at the cross and tomb. The Wes...

John of Ávila, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John of Ávila, Saint, c.1500–1569, Spanish Catholic preacher, author, clerical reformer, and spiritual leader, Doctor of the Church. After studying law, philosophy, and theology in Salamanca and Al...

Saint Helens, Mount

(Encyclopedia)Saint Helens, Mount, volcanic peak, 8,363 ft (2,549 m; 9,677 ft/2,950 m before its 1980 eruption) high, SW Wash., historically the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. Dormant since 1857, Mt. St....

Saint Joseph, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Saint Joseph, river, 210 mi (338 km) long, rising in S Mich. and flowing generally westward in wide curves to Lake Michigan at Benton Harbor, Mich. South Bend, Ind., is on the river, which was an impo...

Pius XI

(Encyclopedia)Pius XI, 1857–1939, pope (1922–39), an Italian named Achille Ratti, b. Desio, near Milan; successor of Benedict XV. Pius's pontificate was marked by great diplomatic activity and by many importa...

Saint Francis, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Saint Francis, river, c.470 mi (760 km) long, rising in the hills of SE Missouri and flowing S through NE Arkansas to join the Mississippi River near Helena, Ark. The river forms part of the Arkansas�...