Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

282 results found

Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di

(Encyclopedia)Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di älĕs-sänˈdrō kōnˈtā dē kälyōˈstrō [key], 1743–95, Italian adventurer, magician, and alchemist, whose real name was Giuseppe Balsamo. After early misadve...

Aloysius, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Aloysius, Saint ălōĭˈshəs [key], 1568–91, Italian Jesuit, b. Luigi Gonzaga, heir to the marchese de Castiglione. Highly devout from childhood, he renounced his title and entered (1585) the Soci...

La Marmora

(Encyclopedia)La Marmora lä märˈmōrä [key], distinguished Italian noble family. Its best-known member was Alfonso Ferrero, marchese della Marmora, 1804–78, general and political leader. He fought for Sardini...

Machiavelli, Niccolò

(Encyclopedia)Machiavelli, Niccolò nēk-kōlôˈ mäkyävĕlˈlē [key], 1469–1527, Italian author and statesman, one of the outstanding figures of the Renaissance, b. Florence. Machiavelli's best-known work, ...

Nanni d'Antonio di Banco

(Encyclopedia)Nanni d'Antonio di Banco nänˈnē däntônˈyō dē bängˈkō [key], c.1384–1421, Florentine sculptor. After study with his father, Antonio di Banco, who worked on the cathedral of Florence, Nanni...

Colonna, Vittoria, marchesa di Pescara

(Encyclopedia)Colonna, Vittoria, marchesa di Pescara vētôˈrēä kōlônˈnä märkāˈzä dē pāskäˈrä [key], 1492–1547, Italian poet; daughter of Fabrizio Colonna (see under Colonna). Her love for her hus...

Pozzo di Borgo, Carlo Andrea

(Encyclopedia)Pozzo di Borgo, Carlo Andrea kärˈlō ändrĕˈä pôtˈtsō dē bôrˈgō [key], 1764–1842. Corsican politician and diplomat in Russian service, b. Corsica. In the French Revolution, he allied wit...

Rosso di San Secondo, Piermaria

(Encyclopedia)Rosso di San Secondo, Piermaria pyĕrˌmärēˈä rôsˈsō dē sän sēkônˈdō [key], 1887–1956, Italian writer, b. Sicily. His sophisticated plays include Marionette, che passione! (1918) and La...

Browse by Subject