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Spezia, La

(Encyclopedia)Spezia, La lä spĕtˈsyä [key], city (1991 pop. 101,442), capital of La Spezia prov., in Liguria, NW Italy, on the Gulf of La Spezia (an arm of the Ligurian Sea) and at the eastern end of the Rivier...

Rioja, La

(Encyclopedia)Rioja, La lä rēōˈhä [key], autonomous community (2011 pop. 321,173), 1,948 sq mi (5,045 sq km), N Spain, coextensive with La Rioja prov. A fertile region, it is famous for its fine wines, which a...

Coustou

(Encyclopedia)Coustou ko͞osto͞oˈ [key], family of French sculptors. Nicolas Coustou, 1658–1733, studied with his uncle, Antoine Coysevox, with whom he later collaborated on the decorations at Marly and at Vers...

Sévigné, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de

(Encyclopedia)Sévigné, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de märēˈ də räbütăNˈ-shäNtälˈ märkēzˈ də sāvēnyāˈ [key], 1626–96, French woman of letters. Her correspondence of more than 1,500 lett...

Favras, Thomas de Mahy, marquis de

(Encyclopedia)Favras, Thomas de Mahy, marquis de tômäˈ də mäēˈ märkēˈ də fävräsˈ [key], 1744–90, French royalist. After the outbreak of the French Revolution, he plotted (1789) with the comte de La ...

Guillaume de Lorris

(Encyclopedia)Guillaume de Lorris gēyōmˈ də lôrēsˈ [key], c.1215–c.1278, French poet, author of the first part of the Roman de la Rose. He handled the chivalric conventions with subtlety and charm, and his...

Lenclos, Ninon de

(Encyclopedia)Lenclos, Ninon de nēnôNˈ də läNklōˈ [key], 1620–1705, French beauty and wit. Her real name was Anne de Lenclos. She numbered among her many lovers and friends such eminent men as the Great Co...

Cadalso, José de

(Encyclopedia)Cadalso, José de hōsāˈ dā käᵺälˈsō [key], 1741–82, Spanish poet, critic, and satirist. Cadalso's rhapsodic prose autobiography, Noches lúgubres (1798), probably suggested by Edward Young...

Rojas, Fernando de

(Encyclopedia)Rojas, Fernando de fārnänˈdō ᵺā rōˈhäs [key], 1465?–1541?, Spanish writer. Scanty records show him to have practiced law at Salamanca. He wrote La Celestina, published anonymously in 1499....

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