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Mansur, al-, d. 775, 2d Abbasid caliph

(Encyclopedia)Mansur, al- äl-mänso͝orˈ [key] [Arab.,=the victorious], d. 775, 2d Abbasid caliph (754–75) and founder of the city of Baghdad. His name was in full Abu Jafar abd-Allah al-Mansur. He was brother ...

Lawrence, Sir Henry Montgomery

(Encyclopedia)Lawrence, Sir Henry Montgomery, 1806–57, British general and administrator in India; brother of John Laird Mair Lawrence. Commissioned (1822) in the Bengal artillery, he fought in Myanmar (1824–26...

Khalid bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud

(Encyclopedia)Khalid bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud khälēdˈ ĭbˌən äbd ăl-äzēzˈ ăl-säo͞odˈ [key], 1913–82, king of Saudi Arabia (1975–82). He became king after the assassination of his half-brother Faisa...

Busch, Adolf

(Encyclopedia)Busch, Adolf äˈdôlf bo͝osh [key], 1891–1952, German-Swiss violinist. He studied at the Cologne Conservatory. From 1919 to 1935 he headed outstanding chamber music groups, including the Busch Qua...

Vivarini

(Encyclopedia)Vivarini vēvärēˈnē [key], Italian family of painters originating in Murano. They executed innumerable altarpieces that reflect the trends of the 15th cent. in northern Italian painting, from Gent...

Strasbourg, Oath of

(Encyclopedia)Strasbourg, Oath of, 842, oath sworn by Charles the Bald (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles II) and Louis the German in solemnizing their alliance against their brother, Emperor Lothair I. The chief po...

Weber, Ernst Heinrich

(Encyclopedia)Weber, Ernst Heinrich vāˈbər [key], 1795–1878, German physiologist. He was a professor at the Univ. of Leipzig (1821–71) and is known for his work on touch and for the formulation of Weber's l...

Weber, Wilhelm Eduard

(Encyclopedia)Weber, Wilhelm Eduard vĭlˈhĕlm āˈdo͞oärt vāˈbər [key], 1804–91, German physicist. He was professor (1831–37, 1849–91) at the Univ. of Göttingen, where he worked with C. F. Gauss on te...

Berenice, b. c.a.d. 28, Jewish princess

(Encyclopedia)Berenice, b. c.a.d. 28, Jewish princess; daughter of Herod Agrippa I (see under Herod). A very beautiful woman, she was often involved in intrigue. After her first husband died, she was married to her...

Smerdis

(Encyclopedia)Smerdis smûrˈdĭs [key], d. c.528 b.c., second son of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia. He is also called Bardiya. He was assassinated by his brother Cambyses II, who kept the murder a secret. Patizi...