Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Francis II, duke of Brittany

(Encyclopedia)Francis II, 1435–88, duke of Brittany. He succeeded (1458) his uncle Arthur III. In his struggle with the French crown for the independence of his duchy, Francis entered (1465) the League of the Pub...

Frederick William, duke of Brunswick

(Encyclopedia)Frederick William, 1771–1815, duke of Brunswick, German military hero. On the death (1806) of his father, Charles William Ferdinand, his duchy was seized by Napoleon I and added to the kingdom of We...

Monmouth, James Scott, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Monmouth, James Scott, duke of mŏnˈməth [key], 1649–85, pretender to the English throne; illegitimate son of Charles II of England by Lucy Walter. After his mother's death, he was cared for by Lo...

Newcastle, William Cavendish, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Newcastle, William Cavendish, duke of, 1593?–1676, English soldier and politician. Of great wealth, Cavendish became (1638) governor of the prince of Wales and a privy councilor. During the civil wa...

Kent, Edward Augustus, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Kent, Edward Augustus, duke of, 1767–1820, fourth son of George III of Great Britain and father of Queen Victoria. Most of his mature life was spent in military service at Gibraltar, in Canada, and ...

Louis, titular duke of Burgundy

(Encyclopedia)Louis, 1682–1712, titular duke of Burgundy; grandson of King Louis XIV of France. He became heir to the throne on the death (1711) of his father, Louis the Great Dauphin. François de Fénelon was h...

Suffolk, Henry Grey, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Suffolk, Henry Grey, duke of, d. 1554, English nobleman. He became 3d marquess of Dorset on his father's death (1530), and in 1534 he married Frances, daughter of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, and...

Wenceslaus, Saint, duke of Bohemia

(Encyclopedia)Wenceslaus, Saint wĕnˈsəsləs [key], d. 929, duke of Bohemia. He was reared in the Christian faith by his grandmother, St. Ludmilla. He became duke at an early age, and during his minority his moth...

Somerset, Edward Seymour, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Somerset, Edward Seymour, duke of, 1506?–1552, protector of England. He served on various military and diplomatic missions for Henry VIII and, after the marriage of his sister Jane to the king, was ...

York, Frederick Augustus, duke of

(Encyclopedia)York, Frederick Augustus, duke of, 1763–1827, second son of George III of England. In the French Revolutionary Wars he commanded (1793–95) the unsuccessful English forces in Flanders. Despite his ...

Browse by Subject