Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Boyer, Jean Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Boyer, Jean Pierre zhäN pyĕr bwäyāˈ [key], 1776–1850, president of Haiti (1818–43). A free mulatto, he fought under Toussaint Louverture and then joined André Rigaud, also a mulatto, in the ...

Brunhoff, Jean de

(Encyclopedia)Brunhoff, Jean de lôräNˈ [key], 1925–, has continued the Babar series. ...

Biot, Jean Baptiste

(Encyclopedia)Biot, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ byō [key], 1774–1862, French physicist, grad. École Polytechnique (1797). He taught mathematics at Beauvais before becoming (1800) professor of mathematical ph...

Blanchard, Jean Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Blanchard, Jean Pierre fräNswäˈ [key], 1753–1809, French balloonist. In 1785 he made with Dr. John Jeffries of Boston, Mass., the first crossing by air of the English Channel. His ascents at Phil...

Regnard, Jean François

(Encyclopedia)Regnard, Jean François zhäN fräNswäˈ rənyärˈ [key], 1655–1709, French comic dramatist. He traveled widely in Europe; captured by Barbary pirates, he was held in slavery (1678–79) until ran...

Sponde, Jean de

(Encyclopedia)Sponde, Jean de zhäN də spôNd [key], 1557–95, French poet and humanist. He held various posts in the court of Henry IV but died destitute because of his reckless nature. His Sonnets of Love and D...

Stas, Jean Servais

(Encyclopedia)Stas, Jean Servais zhäNˈ sĕrvāˈ stäs [key], 1813–91, Belgian chemist. He was assistant to J. B. A. Dumas and professor (1840–65) at the École royale militaire, Brussels. He is noted for his...

Tallien, Jean Lambert

(Encyclopedia)Tallien, Jean Lambert zhäN läNbĕrˈ tälyăNˈ [key], 1767–1820, French revolutionary. A law clerk and later a printer, he became known through his Jacobin journal, Ami des citoyens. A leader in ...

Talon, Jean Baptiste

(Encyclopedia)Talon, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ tälôNˈ [key], 1625?–1694, intendant of New France, b. France. He entered French administrative service c.1653. In his short tenure (1665–68, 1670–72) as ...

Tavernier, Jean Baptiste

(Encyclopedia)Tavernier, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ tävĕrnyāˈ [key], 1605–89, French traveler in Asia. He undertook six voyages, which took him as far as the East Indies and Java, and he acquired a fortun...