(Encyclopedia) Mazepa, IvanMazepa, Ivanēvänˈ məzyāˈpə [key], c.1640–1709, Cossack hetman [leader] in the Russian Ukraine. He was made hetman (1687) on the insistence of Prince Gallitzin, adviser to…
(Encyclopedia) Montfort, Simon deMontfort, Simon demŏntˈfərt, Fr. môNfôrˈ [key], c.1160–1218, count of Montfort and earl of Leicester. A participant in the Fourth Crusade (1202–4), he did not join in…
(Encyclopedia) Bering, Vitus JonassenBering, Vitus Jonassenvēˈt&oobreve;s yōˈnäsən bārˈĭng [key], 1681–1741, Danish explorer in Russian employ. In 1725 he was selected by Peter I to explore far…
(Encyclopedia) Sicilian Vespers, in Italian history, name given the rebellion staged by the Sicilians against the Angevin French domination of Sicily; the rebellion broke out at Palermo at the start…
(Encyclopedia) Barrie, J. M. (Sir James Matthew Barrie)Barrie, J. M.bârˈē [key], 1860–1937, Scottish playwright and novelist. He is best remembered for his play Peter Pan (1904), a supernatural…
(Encyclopedia) GallitzinGallitzingəlĭtˈsĭn [key], Rus. GolytsinGallitzingəlyēˈtsĭn [key], Russian princely family. Among many alternate spellings are Galitzin, Galytzin, and Galitsin. Vasily…
(Encyclopedia) Feodor III, 1661–82, czar of Russia (1676–82), son and successor of Alexis. Although an invalid, Feodor strove to carry out reforms. In 1681 he abolished the system of precedence among…
(Encyclopedia) New Sweden, Swedish colony (1638–55), on the Delaware River; included parts of what are now Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. With the support of Swedish statesman Axel…
(Encyclopedia) Walter Sans Avoir, Fr. Gautier Sans-Avoir, d. 1096, French Crusader, known as Walter the Penniless. He joined Peter the Hermit as leader of an army to the Holy Land. In what came to be…
