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Beauharnais, Eugène de

(Encyclopedia)Beauharnais, Eugène de də bōärnāˈ [key], 1781–1824, French general; son of Alexandre and Josephine de Beauharnais (Empress Josephine). He served ably in the campaigns of his stepfather, Napol...

Buchanan, George

(Encyclopedia)Buchanan, George, 1506–82, Scottish humanist. Educated at St. Andrews and Paris, he became (1536) tutor to James V's illegitimate son James Stuart (later earl of Murray). He was imprisoned (1539) fo...

Vendôme, Louis Joseph, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Vendôme, Louis Joseph, duc de dük də väNdōmˈ [key], 1654–1712, marshal of France; grandson of César de Vendôme and son of Laura Mancini. He fought in the War of the Grand Alliance. In the W...

Verdun, battle of

(Encyclopedia)Verdun, battle of, the longest and one of the bloodiest engagements of World War I. Two million men were engaged. It began on Feb. 21, 1916, when the Germans, commanded by Crown Prince Frederick Willi...

Blake, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Blake, Robert, 1599–1657, English admiral. A merchant, he sat in the Short Parliament (1640) and joined the parliamentary side in the civil war. He defended Bristol, Lyme, and Taunton against royali...

Menelaus

(Encyclopedia)Menelaus mĕnəlāˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, king of Sparta, son of Atreus. He was the husband of Helen, father of Hermione, and younger brother of Agamemnon. When Paris, prince of Troy, abducte...

Ludwig, Christa

(Encyclopedia)Ludwig, Christa lo͞otˈvĭkh [key], 1928–, German mezzo-soprano, b. Berlin. The daughter of opera singers, she debuted (1946) as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus at the Frankfurt State Opera and ...

Meares, John

(Encyclopedia)Meares, John mērz [key], 1756?–1809, British naval officer, explorer, and trader. He served in the navy, in which he attained the rank of lieutenant, until after the Peace of Paris (1783), when he ...

Karadjordjević

(Encyclopedia)Karadjordjević or Karageorgevich both: kărəjôrˈjəvĭch [key], Serbian dynasty, descended from Karageorge (Karadjordje). Its ruling members were Alexander, prince of Serbia, and kings Peter I, Al...

Namur, province, Belgium

(Encyclopedia)Namur nämürˈ [key], Du. Namen, province (1991 pop. 423,317), S Belgium, bordering on France in the south. The chief cities are Namur (the capital) and Dinant. The province is generally hilly; it is...