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Byron, John

(Encyclopedia)Byron, John, 1723–86, British vice admiral and explorer. Sailing in 1740 with Admiral George Anson on a voyage around the world, he was shipwrecked off Chile. His Narrative of Great Distresses on th...

Hezekiah

(Encyclopedia)Hezekiah hĕzəkīˈə [key], in the Bible, king of Judah, son and successor of Ahaz. During his reign Sennacherib of Assyria routed (701 b.c.) the rebellious Jews, laid seige to Jerusalem, and exacte...

Joanna, Spanish queen of Castile

(Encyclopedia)Joanna (Joanna the Mad), 1479–1555, Spanish queen of Castile and León (1504–55), daughter of Ferdinand II and Isabella I. She succeeded to Castile and León at the death of her mother. Ferdinand ...

Jehoiachin

(Encyclopedia)Jehoiachin jēhoiˈəkĭn [key], in the Bible, king of Judah. He was king for a few months (c.598 b.c.) after the death of his father, Jehoiakim. He and his court were carried away into exile by Nebuc...

Seir

(Encyclopedia)Seir sēˈər [key]. 1 Mountainous region, S Palestine, S of the Dead Sea. Mt. Hor is the highest point. Seir is identical with Edom, which is mentioned frequently in the Bible as Mt. Seir. The eponym...

Timnah

(Encyclopedia)Timnah tĭmˈnăth [key], in the Bible. 1 Hill town, S ancient Palestine. 2 Place associated with Judah. It may be the same as 1 or 3. 3 Town associated with Samson's “Timnite” wife and also with ...

Gata, Sierra de

(Encyclopedia)Gata, Sierra de syārˈrä ᵺā gäˈtä [key], mountain range, W Spain. Between the valleys of the Douro and Tagus rivers, it separates León from Extremadura. Its highest point is the Jálama peak ...

Alfonso I, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Alfonso I, 1109?–1185, first king of Portugal, son of Henry of Burgundy. After his father's death (1112), his mother, Countess Teresa, ruled the county of Portugal with the help of her Spanish lover...

Aberdeen, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Aberdeen, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th earl of ăbˌədēnˈ [key], 1784–1860, British statesman. He served (1813) as ambassador extraordinary at Vienna and helped arrange (1814) the peace terms at P...

Byron, George Gordon Noel Byron, 6th Baron

(Encyclopedia)Byron, George Gordon Noel Byron, 6th Baron bīˈrən [key], 1788–1824, English poet and satirist. Ranked with Shelley and Keats as one of the great Romantic poets, Byron became famous throughout E...