Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Malplaquet, battle of

(Encyclopedia)Malplaquet, battle of mälpläkāˈ [key], a major engagement in the War of the Spanish Succession (see Spanish Succession, War of the). On Sept. 11, 1709, the combined forces of England and the Holy ...

Maginot Line

(Encyclopedia)Maginot Line măzhˈĭnō, Fr. mäzhēnōˈ [key], system of fortifications along the eastern frontier of France, extending from the Swiss border to the Belgian. It was named for André Maginot, who w...

La Pérouse, Jean François de Galaup, comte de

(Encyclopedia)La Pérouse, Jean François de Galaup, comte de zhäN fräNswäˈ də gälōˈ kôNt də lä pāro͞ozˈ [key], 1741–c.1788, French navigator. A naval captain, in 1785 he took command of two frigate...

La Bourdonnais, Bertrand François, comte Mahé de

(Encyclopedia)La Bourdonnais, Bertrand François, comte Mahé de bĕrträNˈ fräNswäˈ, kôNt mäāˈ də lä bo͝ordônāˈ [key], 1699–1753, French naval officer. He entered the service of the French India Co...

Brel, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Brel, Jacques, 1929–1978, Belgian singer and songwriter. His literate and theatrical songs made him one of the 20th cent.'s most influential French-language songwriters and performers. He first sang...

Bidault, Georges

(Encyclopedia)Bidault, Georges zhôrzh bēdōˈ [key], 1899–1983, French political leader. An influential columnist (1932–39), he was imprisoned (1940–41) in World War II and then joined the French undergroun...

Baleshwar

(Encyclopedia)Baleshwar bäˈləsôr [key], town, Odisha (Orissa) state, E India, near the Bay of Bengal on the ...

Rambaud, Alfred Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Rambaud, Alfred Nicolas älfrĕdˈ nēkôläˈ räNbōˈ [key], 1842–1905, French historian and politician. He served in the administration of Jules Ferry, was elected senator (1895), and was minist...

Aznavour, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Aznavour, Charles, 1924–2018, French singer, songwriter, and actor, b. Paris as Shahnourh Varinag Aznavourian. The son of ethnic Armenian refugees, he began performing while a child. Edith Piaf made...

Fra Diavolo

(Encyclopedia)Fra Diavolo frä dēäˈvōlō [key] [Ital.,=friar devil], 1771–1806, Italian bandit and soldier, whose real name was Michele Pezza. He entered the service of the king of Naples in 1798 and with Car...

Browse by Subject