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Valencia, autonomous community, Spain

(Encyclopedia)Valencia välānˈthēä [key], autonomous community (2011 pop. 5,009,931), 8,980 sq mi (23,257 sq km), and former kingdom, E Spain, on the Mediterranean. It now comprises the provinces of Alicante/Al...

sacrifice

(Encyclopedia)sacrifice [Lat. sacrificare=to make holy], a type of religious offering, or gift to a superior or supreme being, in which the offering is consecrated through its destruction. The Paleolithic evidenc...

reptile

(Encyclopedia)reptile, name for the dry-skinned, usually scaly, cold-blooded vertebrates (see Chordata) of the order Reptilia. Reptiles are found in a variety of habitats throughout the warm and temperate regions (...

Lease, Mary Elizabeth

(Encyclopedia)Lease, Mary Elizabeth, 1853–1933, American agrarian reformer and temperance advocate, b. Ridgeway, Pa. The daughter of an Irish political refugee, she first gained recognition for a series of lectur...

Lamont, Johann von

(Encyclopedia)Lamont, Johann von yōˈhän fən läˈmônt [key], 1805–79, Scottish-German astronomer and magnetician, b. Scotland. In 1817 he went to Ratisbon to study at the seminary. He remained in Germany to ...

Michael, czar of Russia

(Encyclopedia)Michael (Michael Romanov), 1596–1645, czar of Russia (1613–45), founder of the Romanov dynasty; grandnephew of Anastasia, first wife of Ivan IV. His election as czar, following successive appearan...

Moroni, Giovanni Battista

(Encyclopedia)Moroni, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēˈstä mōrôˈnē [key], c.1524–1578, Italian portrait painter of the Brescian school; pupil of Il Moretto. Surpassing his teacher in the ability to c...

Mitanni

(Encyclopedia)Mitanni mĭtănˈē [key], ancient kingdom established in the 2d millennium b.c. in NW Mesopotamia. It was founded by Aryans but was later made up predominantly of Hurrians. Washshukanni was its capit...

Logan, Sir William Edmond

(Encyclopedia)Logan, Sir William Edmond, 1798–1875, Canadian geologist. Educated in England, he managed (1831–38) coal mines and a copper smelter in Wales. In addition to making studies of clays underlying coal...

Low, Sir David

(Encyclopedia)Low, Sir David lō [key], 1891–1963, British cartoonist, b. New Zealand. In 1919 Low went to England, where he worked on the London Star (1919–27). Thereafter he successively joined the staff of t...