Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Coburn, Alvin Langdon

(Encyclopedia)Coburn, Alvin Langdon kōˈbûrn [key], 1882–1936, American photographer, b. Boston. Coburn began making photographs at eight and was one of the younger members of Alfred Stieglitz's Photo-Secession...

Despenser, Hugh le

(Encyclopedia)Despenser, Hugh le lə dĭspĕnˈsər [key], d. 1265, chief justiciar of England. He joined the barons in their struggle against Henry III and received various offices, becoming chief justiciar in 126...

Griffey, Ken, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Griffey, Ken, Jr. (George Kenneth Griffey, Jr.), 1969–, American baseball player, b. Donora, Pa. The son of a veteran outfielder, he joined the Seattle Mariners of the American League in 1989, playe...

Pellan, Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Pellan, Alfred älfrĕdˈ pĕläNˈ [key], 1906–88, Canadian painter, b. Quebec. Pellan sold his painting Corner of Old Quebec to the National Gallery, Ottawa, when he was 16. He lived in Paris from...

Christian IX

(Encyclopedia)Christian IX, 1818–1906, king of Denmark (1863–1906). A member of the cadet line of Sonderburg-Glücksburg, he succeeded Frederick VII, last of the direct line of Oldenburg. The London Conference ...

Pharnabazus

(Encyclopedia)Pharnabazus färnəbāˈzəs [key], d. after 374 b.c., Persian governor. He had an important satrapy in Asia Minor under Darius II and Artaxerxes II. He was responsible for the assassination (404 b.c....

Dance, George

(Encyclopedia)Dance, George, the elder, 1695–1768, English architect. Among his public buildings in London, the most important is the Mansion House (1739–52), an example of the neo-Palladian style. He built the...

Mona Passage

(Encyclopedia)Mona Passage mōˈnä, –nə [key], strait, c.80 mi (130 km) wide, between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Connecting the N Atlantic Ocean with the Caribbean Sea, it is a favored shipping lan...

Berry, Charles Ferdinand, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Berry, Charles Ferdinand, duc de də bĕrēˈ [key], 1778–1820, younger son of Charles, comte d'Artois (later Charles X of France). He served in the prince de Condé's army against the French Revol...

Robert Guiscard

(Encyclopedia)Robert Guiscard gēskärˈ [key], c.1015–1085, Norman conqueror of S Italy, a son of Tancred de Hauteville (see Normans). Robert joined (c.1046) his brothers in S Italy and fought with them to expel...

Browse by Subject