Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Langer, William Leonard

(Encyclopedia)Langer, William Leonard, 1896–1977, American historian, b. Boston. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1923 and began teaching there in 1927. Langer served in U.S. intelligence in World War II and...

La Tour d'Auvergne, Théophile Malo Corret de

(Encyclopedia)La Tour d'Auvergne, Théophile Malo Corret de tāōfēlˈ mälōˈ kôrāˈ də lä to͞or dōvĕrˈnyə [key], 1743–1800, French soldier. Although an aristocrat, he fought for the revolutionaries i...

Lawrence, John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron

(Encyclopedia)Lawrence, John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron, 1811–79, British colonial administrator in India; brother of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence. He went to India in 1829 and served in many administrative ...

Ardennes, region, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France

(Encyclopedia)Ardennes, wooded plateau, from 1,600 to 2,300 ft (488–701 m) high, in SE Belgium, N Luxembourg, and Ardennes dept., N France, E and S of the Meuse River. The plateau is cut into wild crags and ravin...

Waltari, Mika

(Encyclopedia)Waltari, Mika mēˈkə välˈtärē [key], 1908–79, Finnish author. Waltari wrote plays, detective stories, and travelogues, but is best known for his novels. After completing his university educati...

Weatherford, William

(Encyclopedia)Weatherford, William, c.1780–1824, Native American chief, b. present-day Alabama, also called Red Eagle. In the War of 1812 he led the Creek war party, stirred by Tecumseh, against the Americans. On...

Wrangel, Karl Gustaf

(Encyclopedia)Wrangel, Karl Gustaf kärl go͞oˈstäf vränˈgĕl [key], 1613–76, Swedish general and admiral. After distinguishing himself in land campaigns in the Thirty Years War, he succeeded to command of th...

Cairoli, Benedetto

(Encyclopedia)Cairoli, Benedetto bānādĕtˈtō kīrôˈlē [key], 1825–89, Italian patriot and premier. One of five brothers all noted as heroes of the Risorgimento, he was the only brother to survive the wars ...

Bligh, William

(Encyclopedia)Bligh, William blī [key], 1754–1817, British admiral. He is chiefly remembered for the mutiny (1789) on his ship, the Bounty, but he had a long and notable career. He was sailing master on Capt. Ja...

Aedui

(Encyclopedia)Aedui hĕˈdyo͞oī [key], Gallic people, occupying in the 1st cent. b.c. a part of what later became Burgundy. Defeated by Ariovistus and at odds with their Gallic neighbors, they were allies of the ...