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Basilides

(Encyclopedia)Basilides bəsĭlˈĭdēz [key], fl. 120–145, Gnostic teacher of Alexandria. He wrote Exegitica (his personal gospel with 24 books of commentary) and poems. He claimed to possess a secret tradition ...

Pierrot

(Encyclopedia)Pierrot pēˌərōˈ [key] [Fr.,=little Peter], character in French pantomime. A buffoon, he wore a loose white tunic with big buttons, balloon sleeves, and white pantaloons. His face was painted whit...

Carstens, Asmus Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Carstens, Asmus Jacob äsˈmo͝os yäˈkôp kärˈstəns [key], 1754–98, German historical painter and engraver, b. Schleswig. He studied in Copenhagen and in Italy. He was influenced by the work of...

Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von

(Encyclopedia)Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von fäbˈēən gôtˈlēp fôn bĕlˈĭngzhouˌzən [key], 1778–1852, Russian explorer, b. Sarema, Estonia. A graduate of the naval academy at Kronstadt, he commande...

Victoria Island

(Encyclopedia)Victoria Island, c.81,930 sq mi (212,200 sq km), part of the Arctic Archipelago, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, N Canada; third largest island of Canada. On the southeast coast is Cambridge Bay, a...

Maria II

(Encyclopedia)Maria II (Maria da Glória), 1819–53, queen of Portugal (1834–53), daughter of Peter IV (Pedro I of Brazil). Pedro, having succeeded to the Portuguese throne on the death (1826) of his father, Joh...

Narva, city, Estonia

(Encyclopedia)Narva närˈvə [key], city (1994 pop. 79,094), NE Estonia, on the left bank of the Narva River. A leading textile center, it also has machinery plants, sawmills, flax and jute factories, and food-pro...

Dukhobors

(Encyclopedia)Dukhobors or Doukhobors both: do͞oˈkəbôrz [key] [Russ.,=spirit wrestlers], religious group, prominent in Russia from the 18th to the 19th cent. The name was coined by the Orthodox opponents of the...

Linus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Linus, Saint līˈnəs [key], d. a.d. 76?, pope (a.d. 67?–a.d. 76?), martyr, an Italian; successor of St. Peter and predecessor of St. Cletus (or Anacletus). Nothing is known of his life, but he has...

Montreuil

(Encyclopedia)Montreuil môNtröˈyə [key], town (1990 pop. 95,038), Seine–Saint-Denis dept., N central France, a suburb of Paris. Long famous for its peaches and pears, Montreuil has a variety of light industri...