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East India Company, Dutch

(Encyclopedia)East India Company, Dutch, 1602–1798, chartered by the States-General of the Netherlands to expand trade and assure close relations between the government and its colonial enterprises in Asia. The c...

dole

(Encyclopedia)dole, distribution to the poor, usually of food or money. In medieval times doles were usually from bequests of money or land, and the income was given to charity or distributed to the local poor at f...

Dreyer, Johan Ludwig Emil

(Encyclopedia)Dreyer, Johan Ludwig Emil yōˈhän lo͝otˈvĭkh āˈmēl [key], 1852–1926, Danish astronomer, b. Copenhagen, who worked in Great Britain. He was assistant astronomer at the earl of Rosse's observa...

debenture

(Encyclopedia)debenture dəbĕnˈchər [key], document acknowledging indebtedness. In Great Britain a debenture is practically the same as a bond, and debenture stock is similar to preferred stock. In the United St...

Ewing, Sir James Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Ewing, Sir James Alfred yo͞oˈĭng [key], 1855–1935, Scottish engineer and physicist. As professor at Tokyo (1878–83), Dundee (1883–90), and Cambridge (1890–1903), he helped establish program...

Ferdinand II, king of the Two Sicilies

(Encyclopedia)Ferdinand II, 1810–59, king of the Two Sicilies (1830–59), son and successor of Francis I. Although initially he sought to improve the wretched conditions of his kingdom, he soon relapsed into the...

Irish terrier

(Encyclopedia)Irish terrier, a breed of hardy working terrier developed in the British Isles and believed to be one of the oldest terriers. It stands about 18 in. (46 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 25 to ...

Jonathan, Joseph Leabua

(Encyclopedia)Jonathan, Joseph Leabua jŏnˈəthən [key], 1914–87, prime minister of Lesotho (1965–86). He founded (1959) and led the Basutoland National party working for separate independence from Great Bri...

Jean

(Encyclopedia)Jean zhäN [key], 1921–2019, grand duke of Luxembourg (1964–2000); son of Charlotte, grand duchess of Luxembourg, and Felix, prince of Bourbon-Parma. He fought with Great Britain's Irish Guards in...

Jhansi

(Encyclopedia)Jhansi jänˈsē [key], city (1991 pop. 368,564), Uttar Pradesh state, N central India. A road and rail junction, agricultural market, and small industrial center, it has iron and steel mills and rail...