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Rambouillet, Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de

(Encyclopedia)Rambouillet, Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de kätrēnˈ də vēvônˈ märkēzˈ də räNbo͞oyāˈ [key], 1588–1665, famous Frenchwoman, whose salon exercised a profound influence on French liter...

Retz, Gilles de Laval, seigneur de

(Encyclopedia)Retz or Rais, Gilles de Laval, seigneur de zhēl də lävälˈ sānyörˈ də rĕts, rĕs [key], 1404–40, marshal of France, a lord of the Breton marches. A noted soldier, he was at Orléans with Jo...

Rivas, Ángel de Saavedra, duque de

(Encyclopedia)Rivas, Ángel de Saavedra, duque de änˈhĕl ᵺā säˌävāˈᵺrä do͞oˈkā ᵺā rēˈväs [key], 1791–1865, Spanish romantic poet and dramatist. A liberal, Rivas was condemned to death and f...

Marchesi, Mathilde

(Encyclopedia)Marchesi, Mathilde mätēlˈdə märkāˈzē [key], 1821–1913, German mezzo-soprano whose maiden name was Graumann; pupil of Manuel García. She was known especially as the teacher of such singers a...

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 ...

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...

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