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Sephardim

(Encyclopedia)Sephardim səfärˈdəm [key], one of the two major geographic divisions of the Jewish people, consisting of those Jews whose forebears in the Middle Ages resided in the Iberian Peninsula, as distingu...

Illuminati

(Encyclopedia)Illuminati ĭlo͞oˌmĭnāˈtī, –näˈtē [key] [Lat.,=enlightened], rationalistic society founded in Germany soon after 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, a professor at Ingolstadt, having close affinities w...

Paul IV

(Encyclopedia)Paul IV, 1476–1559, pope (1555–59), a Neapolitan named Gian Pietro Carafa; successor of Marcellus II. First superior of the Theatines (see Cajetan, Saint), he was sternly ascetic. A leading reform...

Hidalgo y Costilla, Miguel

(Encyclopedia)Hidalgo y Costilla, Miguel mēgĕlˈ ēᵺälˈgō ē kōstēˈyä [key], 1753–1811, Mexican priest and revolutionary, a national hero. A creole intellectual, he was influenced by the French Revolut...

Raymond VII, count of Toulouse

(Encyclopedia)Raymond VII, 1197–1249, count of Toulouse; son of Count Raymond VI. He fought with his father in the Albigensian Crusade (see under Albigenses), assisting Raymond VI in his attempt to regain Toulous...

Ch'ien-lung

(Encyclopedia)Ch'ien-lung chyĕnˈ-lo͞ongˈ [key], 1711–99, reign title of the fourth emperor (1735–96) of the Ch'ing dynasty, whose given name was Hung-li. Under his vigorous military policy, China attained i...

Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di

(Encyclopedia)Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di älĕs-sänˈdrō kōnˈtā dē kälyōˈstrō [key], 1743–95, Italian adventurer, magician, and alchemist, whose real name was Giuseppe Balsamo. After early misadve...

Reuchlin, Johann

(Encyclopedia)Reuchlin, Johann yōˈhän roikhˈlən [key], 1455–1522, German humanist and lawyer, a scholar of Greek and Hebrew, b. Baden. He taught jurisprudence at Tübingen. In 1492 he began the study of Hebr...

Rienzi, Cola di

(Encyclopedia)Rienzi or Rienzo, Cola di kôˈlä dē rēĕnˈtsē, rēĕnˈtsō [key], 1313?–1354, Roman popular leader. In 1343 on a mission to Pope Clement VI at Avignon, he won the papal confidence. While ther...

Gregory IX

(Encyclopedia)Gregory IX, 1143?–1241, pope (1227–41), an Italian named Ugolino di Segni, b. Anagni; successor of Honorius III. As cardinal under his uncle, Innocent III, he became, at St. Francis' request, the ...