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De Soto, Hernando

(Encyclopedia)De Soto, Hernando dĭsōˈtō, Span. ĕrnänˈdō dā sōˈtō [key], c.1500–1542, Spanish explorer. After serving under Pedro Arias de Ávila in Central America and under Francisco Pizarro in Peru,...

Crayer, Gaspar de

(Encyclopedia)Crayer, Gaspar de gäsˈpär də krīˈər [key], c.1584–1669, Flemish religious and portrait painter. He was greatly influenced by Rubens. While lacking the genius of Rubens, Crayer almost rivaled ...

Alencar, José de

(Encyclopedia)Alencar, José de älāNngkârˈ [key], 1829–77, Brazilian jurist and author. Alencar was one of the founders of modern Brazilian literature. His historical novels (O Guarani, 1857; Iracema, 1865, t...

Coucy, Robert de

(Encyclopedia)Coucy, Robert de rōbĕrˈ də ko͞osēˈ [key], d.1311, French architect, celebrated for his part in the building of Reims Cathedral, which he carried on as master of the works after the death of Hug...

coureurs de bois

(Encyclopedia)coureurs de bois ko͞orörˈ də bwä [key] [Fr.,=woods runners], unlicensed traders during the French regime in Canada. Traders were required to be licensed, but to only a favored few were licenses g...

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