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Gerson, John

(Encyclopedia)Gerson, John (Jean Charlier de Gerson) gûrˈsən; zhäN shärlyāˈ də zhârsôNˈ [key], 1363–1429, French ecclesiastical statesman and writer. He studied (1377–94) under Pierre d'Ailly at the ...

Ito, Hirobumi

(Encyclopedia)Ito, Hirobumi hērōˈbo͞omē ēˈtō [key], 1841–1909, Japanese statesman, the outstanding figure in the modernization of Japan. As a young Choshu samurai, he was a xenophobe. In 1863 he visited E...

Fortescue, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Fortescue, Sir John fôrˈtĭskyo͞o [key], c.1394–1476, English jurist. A supporter of the Lancastrian king Henry VI, he was chief justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1442 until 1461, when He...

Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 1908–72, American politician and clergyman, b. New Haven, Conn. In 1937 he became pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City, and he soon became known as a m...

Counter Reformation

(Encyclopedia)Counter Reformation, 16th-century reformation that arose largely in answer to the Protestant Reformation; sometimes called the Catholic Reformation. Although the Roman Catholic reformers shared the Pr...

Niemoeller, Martin

(Encyclopedia)Niemoeller or Niemöller, Martin both: märˈtĭn nēˈmölər [key], 1892–1984, German Protestant churchman. He studied theology after distinguishing himself as a submarine commander in World War I...

Tantawi, Hussein

(Encyclopedia)Tantawi, Hussein (Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Soliman), 1935–, Egyptian field marshal. Joining the army in 1956, he became defense minister (1991) and commander-in-chief of the armed forces (1995). He s...

Kosygin, Alexei Nikolayevich

(Encyclopedia)Kosygin, Alexei Nikolayevich əlyĭksyāˈ nyĭkə līˈəvĭch kəsēˈgĭn [key], 1904–80, Soviet political leader. A member of the Communist party from 1927, he joined its central committee in 19...

Robinson, Sir John Beverley

(Encyclopedia)Robinson, Sir John Beverley, 1791–1863, Canadian jurist, b. Lower Canada (Quebec). After holding many important offices, he entered upon his long career (1829–62) as chief justice of Upper Canada;...

Hussite Wars

(Encyclopedia)Hussite Wars, series of conflicts in the 15th cent., caused by the rise of the Hussites in Bohemia and Moravia. It was a religious struggle between Hussites and the Roman Catholic Church, a national s...