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René

(Encyclopedia)René rənāˈ [key], 1409–80, king of Naples (1435–80; rival claimant to Alfonso V of Aragón and Ferdinand I of Naples), duke of Anjou, Bar, and Lorraine, count of Provence. He was also called R...

Emmanuel Philibert

(Encyclopedia)Emmanuel Philibert āmänˈwĕl fēlēbĕrˈ [key], 1528–80, duke of Savoy (1553–80), called Ironhead. He succeeded his father, Charles III, who had been dispossessed of his duchy by Francis I of ...

Sihanouk, Norodom

(Encyclopedia)Sihanouk, Norodom nōrōdŭmˈ sĭhənŭkˈ [key], 1922–2012, king of Cambodia (1941–55, 1993–2004), b. Phnom Penh. Sihanouk was educated in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) and Paris and was elect...

States-General

(Encyclopedia)States-General or Estates-General, diet or national assembly in which the chief estates (see estate) of a nation—usually clergy, nobles, and towns (or commons)—were represented as separate bodies....

Crécy

(Encyclopedia)Crécy –äN–pôNtyöˈ [key], village, Somme dept., N France. A nearby forest is popular for camping. At Crécy, on Aug. 26, 1346, Edward III of England defeated Philip VI of France in the Hundred...

Frederick William II

(Encyclopedia)Frederick William II, 1744–97, king of Prussia (1786–97), nephew and successor of Frederick II (Frederick the Great). He had the power but lacked the ability of his distinguished predecessors. He ...

Gabriel, Jacques Ange

(Encyclopedia)Gabriel, Jacques Ange zhäk äNzh gäbrēĕlˈ [key], 1698–1782, French architect of the classical tradition. Descendant of a long line of architects, he ranks as one of the most distinguished Frenc...

Nogaret, Guillaume de

(Encyclopedia)Nogaret, Guillaume de gēyōmˈ də nôgärāˈ [key], 1265?–1313, French statesman. A jurist, he was a member of the royal council of King Philip IV. During Philip's conflict with Pope Boniface VII...

Lebrun, Charles François

(Encyclopedia)Lebrun, Charles François ləbröNˈ [key], 1739–1824, French statesman. A moderate member of the Constituent Assembly after the start of the French Revolution, he was imprisoned during the Reign o...

Vergniaud, Pierre Victurnien

(Encyclopedia)Vergniaud, Pierre Victurnien pyĕr vēktürnyăNˈ vĕrnyōˈ [key], 1753–93, French revolutionary. A brilliant lawyer, he gained attention (1790) when defending peasants who had burned a castle. El...