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Reginald of Châtillon

(Encyclopedia)Reginald of Châtillon shätēyôNˈ [key], d. 1187, Crusader, lord of Krak and Montreal in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. He came to the Holy Land in the Second Crusade and married (1153) Constance,...

Galt, John

(Encyclopedia)Galt, John, 1779–1839, Scottish novelist. He went to Canada as secretary for the Canada Company, founding there in 1827 the town of Guelph and encouraging Canadian immigration. He wrote poems, blank...

Jochumsson, Matthías

(Encyclopedia)Jochumsson, Matthías mätˈtēäs yŏkˈküms-sŏn [key], 1835–1920, Icelandic playwright, poet, and translator. Although Jochumsson was the founder of the modern drama in Iceland, with poetic play...

Blessington, Marguerite, countess of

(Encyclopedia)Blessington, Marguerite, countess of, 1789–1849, English author and famous beauty, b. Ireland. At the age of 14 she was forced by her father into marriage with Capt. Maurice St. Leger Farmer, a sadi...

Pulci, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Pulci, Luigi lwēˈjē po͞olˈchē [key], 1432–84, Italian poet. Of an impoverished literary family, he became a protégé of Lorenzo de' Medici and a friend of Poliziano. The most noted work of hi...

Massey, Vincent

(Encyclopedia)Massey, Vincent, 1887–1967, Canadian statesman, b. Toronto; brother of actor Raymond Massey. After a brief career as a professor he served (1918–19) as a government official before joining his fam...

Mármol, José

(Encyclopedia)Mármol, José hōsāˈ märˈmôl [key], 1817–71, Argentine writer of the romantic school. His invectives against Juan Manuel de Rosas earned him the nickname “the poetic hangman of Rosas.” He ...

Lennep, Jacob van

(Encyclopedia)Lennep, Jacob van yäˈkōp vän lĕnˈĕp [key], 1802–68, Dutch writer. He was state's attorney (1852) and served in the legislature (1853–56). He is best known for his historical novels influenc...

Bowles, William Lisle

(Encyclopedia)Bowles, William Lisle, 1762–1850, English poet, cleric, and literary critic. In 1804 he became vicar of Bremhill, Wiltshire, in 1818 chaplain to the prince regent, and in 1828 canon residentiary of ...

Mélusine

(Encyclopedia)Mélusine mĕlyo͝osēˈnä [key], in French legend, a fairy who changed into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She married a mortal, Count Raymond, said to be the ancestor of the house of...