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Montespan, Françoise Athénaïs, marquise de

(Encyclopedia)Montespan, Françoise Athénaïs, marquise de fräNswäzˈ ätānäēsˈ märkēzˈ də môNtəspäNˈ [key], 1641–1707, mistress of King Louis XIV of France. She was maid of honor to Queen Marie Th...

Gil de Taboada y de Lemos, Francisco

(Encyclopedia)Gil de Taboada y de Lemos, Francisco fränthēsˈkō hēl dā täbōäˈᵺä ē ᵺā lāˈmōs [key], d. 1809, Spanish colonial administrator. After serving as viceroy of New Granada (1789), he was ...

Marivaux, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de

(Encyclopedia)Marivaux, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de pyĕrˈ kärlāˈ də shäNblēˈ də märēvōˈ [key], 1688–1763, French dramatist and novelist. He enjoyed popularity for a time with his numerous comedies...

Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, sieur de

(Encyclopedia)Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, sieur de pōl də shômdāˈ syör də māzôNnövˈ [key], 1612–76, founder and first governor of Montreal, b. France. A soldier, he fought in European wars before be...

Lautrec, Odet de Foix, vicomte de

(Encyclopedia)Lautrec, Odet de Foix, vicomte de ôdāˈ də fwä vēkôNtˈ də lōtrĕkˈ [key], 1485–1528, marshal of France. In the Italian Wars he fought at Marignano (1515) and was subsequently governor of M...

Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile

(Encyclopedia)Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile ärk də trēôNfˈ də lātwälˈ [key], imposing triumphal arch in Paris standing on an elevation at the end of the Avenue des Champs Élysées and in the center of the ...

Céloron de Blainville, Pierre Joseph de

(Encyclopedia)Céloron de Blainville, Pierre Joseph de pyĕr zhôzĕfˈ də sālərôNˈ də blăNvēlˈ [key], 1693–1759, French Canadian soldier, b. Montreal. He was commandant at Michilimackinac (1734–42), D...

Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes, Jacques də krĕvkörˈ də pĕrt [key], 1788–1868, French writer and archaeologist. He was the first to provide evidence that humans had existed in the Pleistocen...

Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de

(Encyclopedia)Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de pyĕr də bo͞ordāˈyə sānyörˈ də bräNtōmˈ [key], 1540?–1614, French courtier, soldier, and author of memoirs. He accompanied Mary Stuart to Sco...

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