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Pius VI

(Encyclopedia)Pius VI, 1717–99, pope (1775–99), an Italian named G. Angelo Braschi, b. Cesena; successor of Clement XIV. He was created cardinal in 1774. Early in his reign he was faced with the attempts of Hol...

Reign of Terror

(Encyclopedia)Reign of Terror, 1793–94, period of the French Revolution characterized by a wave of executions of presumed enemies of the state. Directed by the Committee of Public Safety, the Revolutionary govern...

Montpellier, University of

(Encyclopedia)Montpellier, University of, at Montpellier, France; founded 1220 by Cardinal Conrad and confirmed by papal bull. The university was suppressed during the French Revolution and replaced by faculties of...

Barthélemy, Auguste Marseille

(Encyclopedia)Barthélemy, Auguste Marseille ōgüstˈ märsāˈyə bärtālmēˈ [key], 1796–1867, French poet. With his friend Joseph Méry he wrote several brilliant and popular political satires, including La...

Parker, Sir Hyde

(Encyclopedia)Parker, Sir Hyde, 1739–1807, British admiral. In the American Revolution he broke (1776) the defenses of the Hudson River at New York City—an exploit for which he was knighted in 1779. He later he...

Verona, Congress of

(Encyclopedia)Verona, Congress of, 1822, at Verona, Italy, the last European conference held under the provisions of the Quadruple Alliance of 1814. The main problem discussed was the revolution in Spain against Fe...

Swiss Guards

(Encyclopedia)Swiss Guards, Swiss mercenaries who fought in various European armies from the 15th cent. until the 19th cent. These mercenaries, who were not volunteers, were put at the disposal of foreign powers by...

Jacobins

(Encyclopedia)Jacobins jăkˈəbĭnz [key], political club of the French Revolution. Formed in 1789 by the Breton deputies to the States-General, it was reconstituted as the Society of Friends of the Constitution a...

Machault d'Arnouville, Jean Baptiste de

(Encyclopedia)Machault d'Arnouville, Jean Baptiste de zhäN bätēstˈ də mäshōˈ därno͞ovēlˈ [key], 1701–94, French statesman. He held a succession of government offices and was (1743–45) intendant of V...

George, Lake

(Encyclopedia)George, Lake, glacial lake, 33 mi (53 km) long and 1 to 3 mi (1.6–5 km) wide, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mts., NE N.Y.; it drains NE via rapids and waterfalls into Lake Champlain. The lake w...