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Alfonso VI, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Alfonso VI, 1643–83, king of Portugal (1656–83), son and successor of John IV. Slightly paralyzed and mentally defective, he led a dissolute youth until he came under the influence of the count of...

Le Play, Pierre Guillaume Frédéric

(Encyclopedia)Le Play, Pierre Guillaume Frédéric pyĕr gēyōmˈ frādārēkˈ lə plā [key], 1806–82, French sociologist and economist. As an engineer he traveled through Europe, gathering data on the budgets...

La Trémoille, Georges de

(Encyclopedia)La Trémoille or La Trimouille, Georges de zhôrzh də lä trāmoiˈyə or trēmo͞oˈyə [key], c.1385–1446, favorite of King Charles VII of France, sometime chamberlain to John the Fearless of Bur...

Maupassant, Guy de

(Encyclopedia)Maupassant, Guy de gē də mōpäsäNˈ [key], 1850–93, French novelist and short-story writer, of an ancient Norman family. He worked in a government office at Paris and became known c.1880 as the ...

Lespinasse, Julie Jeanne Éléonore de

(Encyclopedia)Lespinasse, Julie Jeanne Éléonore de zhülēˈ zhän ālāōnôrˈ də lĕspēnäsˈ [key], 1732–76, French woman of letters. She aided (1754–64) Mme Du Deffand in her salon and organized (1764)...

Montmagny, Charles Jacques Huault de

(Encyclopedia)Montmagny, Charles Jacques Huault de shärl zhäk üōˈ də môNmänyēˈ [key], fl.1622–54, governor of New France (1636–48). He was an administrator in New France from 1632 and succeeded Samuel...

Brazza, Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de

(Encyclopedia)Brazza, Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de pyĕr pōl fräNswäˈ kämēˈyə sävôrnyäNˈ də bräzäˈ [key], 1852–1905, Franco-Italian empire builder. He was born Pietro Paolo Savorgnan...

Fourcroy, Antoine François, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Fourcroy, Antoine François, comte de äNtwänˈ fräNswäˈ kôNt də fo͞orkrwäˈ [key], 1755–1809, French chemist. He was a pioneer in animal and plant chemistry and collaborated with Lavoisier ...

Templewood, Samuel John Gurney Hoare, 1st Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Templewood, Samuel John Gurney Hoare, 1st Viscount, 1880–1959, British statesman. He entered parliament as a Conservative in 1910, served (1922–24, 1924–29) as secretary of state for air, and in...

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