Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

370 results found

Francis II, king of the Two Sicilies

(Encyclopedia)Francis II, 1836–94, last king of the Two Sicilies (1859–61), son and successor of Ferdinand II. A weak ruler, he let his ministers follow his father's reactionary policy. Faced with the growing m...

Eiffel, Alexandre Gustave

(Encyclopedia)Eiffel, Alexandre Gustave īˈfəl, Fr. älĕksäNˈdrə güstävˈ āfĕlˈ [key], 1832–1923, French engineer. A noted constructor of bridges and viaducts, he also designed the Eiffel Tower and the...

Alcalá de Henares

(Encyclopedia)Alcalá de Henares älkäläˈ dā ānäˈrās [key], town, Madrid prov., central Spain, on the Henares River. Chemicals, plastics, electrical appliances, leather, and chi...

Fischer von Erlach, Johann Bernhard

(Encyclopedia)Fischer von Erlach, Johann Bernhard yōˈhän bĕrnˈhärt fĭshˈər fən ērˈläkh [key], 1656–1723, the leading Austrian baroque architect. After studying in Rome he returned to Vienna. In 1705 ...

Barthes, Roland

(Encyclopedia)Barthes, Roland rôläNˈ bärt [key], 1915–80, French critic. Barthes was one of the founding figures in the theoretical movement centered around the journal Tel Quel. In his earlier works, such as...

Torquemada, Tomás de

(Encyclopedia)Torquemada, Tomás de dā tôrkāmäˈᵺä [key], 1420–98, Spanish churchman and inquisitor. A Dominican, he became confessor to Ferdinand II and Isabella I and in 1483 was appointed inquisitor ge...

Rivas, Ángel de Saavedra, duque de

(Encyclopedia)Rivas, Ángel de Saavedra, duque de änˈhĕl ᵺā säˌävāˈᵺrä do͞oˈkā ᵺā rēˈväs [key], 1791–1865, Spanish romantic poet and dramatist. A liberal, Rivas was condemned to death and f...

Opitz, Martin

(Encyclopedia)Opitz, Martin märˈtĭn ōˈpĭts [key], 1597–1639, leader of the Silesian school of German poetry. His influence as poet, critic, and metrical reformer was widely recognized during his time; he wa...

Braganza

(Encyclopedia)Braganza brəgänˈzä [key], royal house that ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910 and Brazil from 1822 to 1889. It took its name from the castle of Braganza or Bragança. The line was descended from Alf...

Tarbes

(Encyclopedia)Tarbes tärb [key], city (1990 pop. 50,228), capital of Hautes-Pyrénées dept., SW France, on the Adour River. It is an industrial, commercial, and tourist center in a cattle- and horse-raising area....