Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Fenwick, Edward Dominic

(Encyclopedia)Fenwick, Edward Dominic, 1768–1832, American Roman Catholic prelate, first bishop of Cincinnati (1822–32), b. St. Marys co., Md. He was educated in Belgium, joined the Dominicans (1790), and was o...

Antara

(Encyclopedia)Antara äntärˈä [key], fl. 600, Arab warrior and poet, celebrated in his own day as a hero because he rose from slave birth to be a tribal chief. His poetry is represented by one poem in the Mualla...

Hitchin

(Encyclopedia)Hitchin, city, Hertfordshire, SE England. Hitchin was the site of a monastery in Offa's time and appears in the Domesday Book as a royal manor named Hiz...

Maudling, Reginald

(Encyclopedia)Maudling, Reginald, 1917–79, British politician. A lawyer, he entered Parliament in 1950 as a Conservative and rapidly rose to prominence, serving as minister of supply (1955–57), paymaster-genera...

Montt, Manuel

(Encyclopedia)Montt, Manuel mōnt [key], 1809–80, president of Chile (1851–61). From a poverty-stricken childhood he rose to become one of Chile's most notable jurists. He held many prominent academic and gove...

Arethusa, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Arethusa ărĭtho͞oˈsə [key], in Greek mythology, nymph favored by Artemis and loved by the river god Alpheus. While Arethusa was bathing in his stream, Alpheus rose up and tried to abduct her, but...

Lefebvre, François Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Lefebvre, François Joseph fräNswäˈ zhôzĕfˈ ləfĕˈvrə [key], 1755–1820, marshal of France. He rose from the ranks in the French Revolutionary Wars and distinguished himself under Napoleon B...

Lennep, Jacob van

(Encyclopedia)Lennep, Jacob van yäˈkōp vän lĕnˈĕp [key], 1802–68, Dutch writer. He was state's attorney (1852) and served in the legislature (1853–56). He is best known for his historical novels influenc...

Pitcher, Molly

(Encyclopedia)Pitcher, Molly, 1744–1832, American Revolutionary heroine whose real name was Mary Ludwig Hays or Heis, b. near Trenton, N.J. As the wife of John Hays or Heis, she carried water for her husband and ...

Byzantium

(Encyclopedia)Byzantium bīzănˈshēəm, –shəm, –tēəm [key], ancient city of Thrace, on the site of the present-day İstanbul, Turkey. Founded by Greeks from Megara in 667 b.c., it early rose to importance ...