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Hooft, Pieter Corneliszoon

(Encyclopedia)Hooft, Pieter Corneliszoon pēˈtər kôrnāˈlĭsōn hōft [key], 1581–1647, Dutch historian, poet, and dramatist. His great work was a history of the revolt of the Netherlands against Spain, Neder...

Rotrou, Jean de

(Encyclopedia)Rotrou, Jean de zhäN də rôtro͞oˈ [key], 1609–50, French dramatist. One of the Cinq auteurs, five playwrights commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu, Rotrou wrote many plays, including the noble and...

Buckingham, George Villiers, 1st duke of

(Encyclopedia)Buckingham, George Villiers, 1st duke of vĭlˈyərz, bŭkˈĭng-əm [key], 1592–1628, English courtier and royal favorite. He arrived (1614) at the English court as James I was tiring of his favori...

Marmontel, Jean François

(Encyclopedia)Marmontel, Jean François zhäN fräNswäˈ märmôNtĕlˈ [key], 1723–99, French critic, dramatist, and story writer, contributor to Diderot's Encyclopédie. Educated by the Jesuits, he taught in J...

Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, Jean zhäN dāmärāˈ də săN-sôrlăNˈ [key], 1595–1676, French poet and dramatist. A protégé of Richelieu, he was a founding member of the French Academy. In 1670 h...

East India Company, French

(Encyclopedia)East India Company, French, 1664–1769, commercial enterprise planned by Jean Baptiste Colbert and chartered by King Louis XIV for the purpose of trading in the Eastern Hemisphere. It failed to found...

Louis II, French king

(Encyclopedia)Louis II or Louis the Stammerer, 846–79, French king. He succeeded (877) his father, Emperor of the West Charles II, as king. On Louis's death his kingdom was divided between his sons Carloman and L...

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