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Molay, Jacques de

(Encyclopedia)Molay, Jacques de zhäk də môlāˈ [key], 1243?–1314, last grand master of the Knights Templars. He distinguished himself in defending Palestine against the Saracens. After the Templars were drive...

Medici, Gian Gastone de'

(Encyclopedia)Medici, Gian Gastone de' dā mĕˈdĭchē, Ital. māˈdēchē [key], 1671–1737, grand duke of Tuscany (1723–37); son and successor of Cosimo III de' Medici. Gian Gastone was the last male member ...

Norsemen

(Encyclopedia)Norsemen, name given to the Scandinavian Vikings who raided and settled on the coasts of the European continent in the 9th and 10th cent. They are also referred to as Northmen or Normans. Recent resea...

Alessandria

(Encyclopedia)Alessandria älās-sänˈdrēä [key], city, capital of Alessandria prov., in Piedmont, NW Italy, at the confluence of the Tanaro and Bormida rivers. It is an industrial c...

Vannes

(Encyclopedia)Vannes vän [key], town (1990 pop. 48,454), capital of Morbihan dept., NW France, in Brittany, on the Gulf of Morbihan. It is an important agricultural and tourist center that produces processed food,...

Rialto Bridge

(Encyclopedia)Rialto Bridge rēälˈtō [key], Ital. Ponte di Rialto, bridge of Venice, NE Italy, over the Grand Canal, connecting Rialto and San Marco islands. Built between 1588 and 1591, it consists of a single ...

Viljandi

(Encyclopedia)Viljandi vĭlˈyändē [key], Ger. Fellin, town (1994 pop. 22,669), S Estonia. Founded in 1283, Viljandi was an important medieval trade center and a member of the Hanseatic League. Walls of the castl...

Timur

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Empire of Timur (1405) Timur tămˈərlān [key], c.1336–1405, Mongol conqueror, b. Kesh, near Samarkand. He is also called Timur Leng [Timur the lame]. He was the son of a tribal leader, an...

Burton upon Trent

(Encyclopedia)Burton upon Trent, urban area, Staffordshire, W central England, on the Trent River and the Grand Trunk Canal. Brewing, begun there by Benedictine monks...

Medici, Cosimo I de'

(Encyclopedia)Medici, Cosimo I de', 1519–74, duke of Florence (1537–69), grand duke of Tuscany (1569–74); son of Giovanni de' Medici (Giovanni delle Bande Nere). In 1537, Lorenzino de' Medici murdered Cosimo'...