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Spohr, Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Spohr, Ludwig or Louis lo͝otˈvĭkh shpōr, lo͞oˈē [key], 1784–1859, German composer, conductor, and violinist. After touring Europe extensively, he was (1822–57) court conductor in Kassel. Hi...

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...

Hincmar

(Encyclopedia)Hincmar hĭngkˈmär [key], 806–82, Frankish canonist and theologian, archbishop of Reims (from 845). He was a supporter of Carolingian Emperor Louis I and a counselor of his son Charles II (Charles...

Grand Alliance, War of the

(Encyclopedia)Grand Alliance, War of the, 1688–97, war between France and a coalition of European powers, known as the League of Augsburg (and, after 1689, as the Grand Alliance). Louis XIV of France took advanta...

Mazarin, Jules

(Encyclopedia)Mazarin, Jules zhül mäzärăNˈ [key], 1602–61, French statesman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, b. Italy. His original name was Giulio Mazarini. After serving in the papal army and diplom...

Marie de' Medici

(Encyclopedia)Marie de' Medici mĕdˈĭchē [key], 1573–1642, queen of France, second wife of King Henry IV and daughter of Francesco de' Medici, grand duke of Tuscany. She was married to Henry in 1600. After his...

Ledru-Rollin, Alexandre Auguste

(Encyclopedia)Ledru-Rollin, Alexandre Auguste älĕksäNˈdrə ôgüstˈ lədrüˈ-rôlăNˈ [key], 1807–74, French politician. A lawyer, he first became known as a radical opponent to the accession (1830) of Lou...

Polignac, Jules Armand, prince de

(Encyclopedia)Polignac, Jules Armand, prince de zhül ärmäNˈ prăNs də pôlēnyäkˈ [key], 1780–1847, French statesman. Belonging to one of the oldest families of France, he emigrated with them during the Fr...

Fronde

(Encyclopedia)Fronde frôNd [key], 1648–53, series of outbreaks during the minority of King Louis XIV, caused by the efforts of the Parlement of Paris (the chief judiciary body) to limit the growing authority of ...

Charles of Valois

(Encyclopedia)Charles of Valois välwäˈ [key], 1270–1325, French prince and military leader, third son of Philip III and father of Philip VI. He dominated the reign in France of his nephew Louis X. On the excom...