Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Stephen II

(Encyclopedia)Stephen II, d. 757, pope (752–57), successor of Pope St. Zacharias. When Rome was threatened by the Lombard king Aistulf, Stephen went to Gaul and appealed to Pepin the Short for help. He became the...

Cirta

(Encyclopedia)Cirta: see Constantine, Algeria. ...

Ypsilanti, Greek family

(Encyclopedia)Ypsilanti or Hypsilanti both: ĭpˌsĭlănˈtē [key], prominent Greek family of Phanariots (see under Phanar). An early distinguished member, Alexander Ypsilanti, c.1725–c.1807, was dragoman (minis...

Bernstorff, Johann Hartwig Ernst

(Encyclopedia)Bernstorff, Johann Hartwig Ernst bĕrnsˈtôrf [key], 1712–72, Danish politician, of German (Hanoverian) origin. As minister of foreign affairs (1751–70) under Frederick V and Christian VII, he s...

Crusades

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Crusader States (c.1140) Crusades kro͞oˈsādz [key], series of wars undertaken by European Christians between the 11th and 14th cent. to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. After...

George II, king of Greece

(Encyclopedia)George II, 1890–1947, king of the Hellenes (1922–23, 1935–47), successor and eldest son of King Constantine I. When Constantine I was forced by the Allies to abdicate in 1917, George, also suspe...

Venizelos, Eleutherios

(Encyclopedia)Venizelos, Eleutherios ĕlĕfthârˈyôs vĕnēzĕˈlôs [key], 1864–1936, Greek statesman, b. Crete. After studying at the Univ. of Athens, he returned to Crete and played a prominent part in the C...

Suger

(Encyclopedia)Suger süzhĕrˈ [key], 1081–1151, French cleric and statesman, abbot of Saint-Denis from 1122, minister of kings Louis VI and Louis VII. Born into a peasant family and educated at the abbey of Sain...

Cantacuzene

(Encyclopedia)Cantacuzene känˈtäko͞ozēˈnô [key], noble Romanian family of Greek origin, tracing its descent from the Byzantine emperor John VI (John Cantacuzene). Under Ottoman rule members of the family wer...

Browse by Subject