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Hohenzollern, German princely family

(Encyclopedia)Hohenzollern hōˌən-tsôlˈərn [key], German princely family that ruled Brandenburg (1415–1918), Prussia (1525–1918), and Germany (1871–1918). Originating in S Germany and traceable to the 11...

Maximilian I, 1459–1519, Holy Roman emperor and German king

(Encyclopedia)Maximilian I, 1459–1519, Holy Roman emperor and German king (1493–1519), son and successor of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. As emperor, he aspired to restore forceful imperial leadership and i...

Abd al-Malik

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Malik äbˌdo͝ol-mälĭkˈ [key], c.646–705, 5th Umayyad caliph (685–705); son of Marwan I. At his accession, Islam was torn by dissension and threatened by the Byzantine Empire. With the ...

Medici, Piero de', 1471–1503, Italian merchant prince

(Encyclopedia)Medici, Piero de', 1471–1503, Italian merchant prince. He succeeded his father, Lorenzo de' Medici (Lorenzo il Magnifico), as head of the Medici family and as leader of the Florentine state. In 1494...

Delescluze, Louis Charles

(Encyclopedia)Delescluze, Louis Charles lwē shärl dəlāklüzˈ [key], 1809–71, French journalist and radical republican. In his active career he was often in prison or in exile. He supported the July Revolutio...

Nicholas I, Saint, pope

(Encyclopedia)Nicholas I, Saint, c.825–867, pope (858–67), a Roman; successor of Benedict III. He was a vigorous and politically active pope who arbitrated both temporal and religious disputes. His decisions of...

Gregory I, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Gregory I, Saint (Saint Gregory the Great), c.540–604, pope (590–604), a Roman; successor of Pelagius II. A Doctor of the Church, he was distinguished for his spiritual and temporal leadership. Hi...

Rheinberger, Josef

(Encyclopedia)Rheinberger, Josef yōˈzĕf rīnˈbĕrgər [key], 1839–1901, German composer; studied at the Munich Conservatory, where he later taught. An eclectic, late romantic composer, he wrote 20 organ sonat...

Yasnaya Polyana

(Encyclopedia)Yasnaya Polyana yäˈsnīə pəlyäˈnə [key], village, central European Russia, just S of Tula. It was the birthplace and residence of Leo Tolstoy, who is buried at his estate there. The writer's ho...

Bakocz, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Bakocz or Bakacs, Thomas tŏˈmäsh [key], c.1442–1521, Hungarian politician, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is often called the Hungarian Wolsey. Of unbounded ambition, he rose from serv...