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Valdivia, Pedro de

(Encyclopedia)Valdivia, Pedro de pāˈdhrō dā väldēˈvyä [key], c.1500–1554, Spanish conquistador, conqueror of Chile. One of Francisco Pizarro's best officers in the conquest of Peru, educated, energetic, s...

Vaugelas, Claude Favre de

(Encyclopedia)Vaugelas, Claude Favre de klōd fäˈvrə də vōzhəläˈ [key], 1585–1650, French grammarian. He set up, in his Remarques sur la langue française (1647), the usage of cultured people as the stand...

Pueyrredón, Juan Martín de

(Encyclopedia)Pueyrredón, Juan Martín de hwän märtēnˈ dā pwāĭrādōnˈ [key], 1776–1850, Argentine general, supreme director of the United Provinces of La Plata (1816–19). In 1806, when British troops ...

Villèle, Jean Baptiste Séraphin Joseph, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Villèle, Jean Baptiste Séraphin Joseph, comte de zhäN bätēstˈ sāräfăNˈ zhôzĕfˈ kôNt də vēlĕlˈ [key], 1773–1854, French statesman and premier (1822–28). Elected (1815) a deputy af...

Alvarado, Pedro de

(Encyclopedia)Alvarado, Pedro de älväräˈᵺō [key], 1486–1541, Spanish conquistador. He went to Hispaniola (1510), sailed in the expedition (1518) of Juan de Grijalva, and was the chief lieutenant of Herná...

Rooke, Sir George

(Encyclopedia)Rooke, Sir George ro͝ok [key], 1650–1709, English admiral. In the War of the Grand Alliance he defeated a French fleet under the comte de Tourville in the battle of La Hogue (1692) and by good judg...

Solís y Rivadeneyra, Antonio de

(Encyclopedia)Solís y Rivadeneyra, Antonio de äntōˈnyō ᵺā sōlēsˈ ē rēˌväᵺānāˈrä [key], 1610–86, Spanish historian and dramatic poet. His intricate comic dramas were popular at court and the b...

Hamilton, Anthony

(Encyclopedia)Hamilton, Anthony, 1646?–1720, French author of Scottish descent, b. Ireland. He spent much time in France, where he became a master of the French language. He fought in the Dutch Wars for Louis XIV...

Witt, Jan de

(Encyclopedia)Witt, Jan de yän [key], 1625–72, Dutch statesman. Like his father, Jacob de Witt, burgomaster of Dort, he became a leading opponent of the house of Orange and played a vital role in the three succe...

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