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Fournier, Pierre Simon

(Encyclopedia)Fournier, Pierre Simon pyĕr sēmôNˈ fo͞ornyāˈ [key], 1712–68, Parisian type founder. Fournier devised the first point system for measuring and naming sizes of type in 1737. He designed a numbe...

John VIII, Byzantine emperor

(Encyclopedia)John VIII (John Palaeologus), 1390–1448, Byzantine emperor (1425–48), son and successor of Manuel II. When he acceded, the Byzantine Empire had been reduced by the Turks to the city of Constantino...

Carías Andino, Tiburcio

(Encyclopedia)Carías Andino, Tiburcio tēbo͞orˈsyō kärēˈäs ändēˈnō [key], 1876–1969, president of Honduras (1933–49). A strong-handed dictator, his term was twice extended by congress. Some improvem...

Beyazid I

(Encyclopedia)Beyazid I bāyäzĭdˈ [key], 1347–1403, Ottoman sultan (1389–1402), son and successor of Murad I. He besieged Byzantine Emperor Manuel II at Constantinople, then overcame the Turkish rulers in E ...

San Joaquin

(Encyclopedia)San Joaquin săn wäkēnˈ [key], river, c.320 mi (510 km) long, rising in the Sierra Nevada, E Calif., and flowing W then N through the S Central Valley to form a large delta with the Sacramento Rive...

Alexius II

(Encyclopedia)Alexius II (Alexius Comnenus), 1168–83, Byzantine emperor (1180–83), son and successor of Manuel I. His mother, Mary of Antioch, who was regent for him, alienated the population by favoring the La...

Mannyng, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Mannyng or Manning, Robert, fl. 1298–1338, English poet, b. Brunne (modern Bourne), Lincolnshire; also called Robert of Brunne. He was a monk in the Gilbertine order. Mannyng is known chiefly for hi...

Brunetière, Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Brunetière, Ferdinand fĕrdēnäNˈ brünətyĕrˈ [key], 1849–1906, French literary critic. An opponent of naturalism, he believed that literature should reflect a moral order. His vast learning i...

Comnenus

(Encyclopedia)Comnenus kŏmnēˈnəs [key], family name of several Byzantine emperors—Isaac I, Alexius I, John II, Manuel I, Alexius II, and Andronicus I—who reigned in the 11th and 12th cent., and of the histo...

Rivera, Fructuoso

(Encyclopedia)Rivera, Fructuoso rēvāˈrä [key], 1790?–1854, first president of Uruguay (1830–34, 1839–42). After serving with Artigas, he was one of the Thirty-three Immortals who raised the standard of i...