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Lally, Thomas Arthur, baron de Tollendal, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Lally, Thomas Arthur, baron de Tollendal, comte de tômäˈ ärtürˈ bärôN də tôläNdälˈ kôNt də lälēˈ [key], 1702–66, French general; son of an Irish Jacobite resident in France. As com...

Keith, James Francis Edward

(Encyclopedia)Keith, James Francis Edward, 1696–1758, Scottish field marshal of Prussia; brother of George Keith, 10th earl marischal [marshal] of Scotland. He participated in the Jacobite uprising of 1715 and in...

Kloster-Zeven, Convention of

(Encyclopedia)Kloster-Zeven, Convention of klôsˈtər-tsāˈfən [key], 1757. Early in the Seven Years War the English army, under the command of the duke of Cumberland, son of George II, was defeated by the Frenc...

Jovellanos, Gaspar Melchor de

(Encyclopedia)Jovellanos, Gaspar Melchor de gäspärˈ mĕlchôrˈ dā hōvĕlyäˈnōs [key], 1744–1811, Spanish statesman and writer. Very influential as an advocate of economic and social reform during the enl...

Pleiades, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Pleiades plēˈədēz, plīˈ– [key], in astronomy, famous open star cluster in the constellation Taurus; cataloged as M45. The cluster consists of some 500 stars, has a diameter of 35 light-years, ...

Five-Year Plan

(Encyclopedia)Five-Year Plan, Soviet economic practice of planning to augment agricultural and industrial output by designated quotas for a limited period of usually five years. Nations other than the former USSR a...

Family Compact, in French and Spanish history

(Encyclopedia)Family Compact, several alliances between France and Spain in the form of agreements between the French and Spanish branches of the Bourbon family. The first of the three compacts, the Treaty of the E...

Hood, Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Hood, Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount, 1724–1816, British admiral. Entering the navy in 1741, he served with distinction in the Seven Years War. In 1781 he was sent to the West Indies as second in command...

Fersen, Count Fredrik Axel

(Encyclopedia)Fersen, Count Fredrik Axel frāˈdrĭk äkˈsəl fĕrˈsən [key], 1719–94, Swedish politician and soldier. He served (1743–48) in the French army and retired as brigadier general. As lieutenant g...

Kaunitz, Wenzel Anton, Fürst von

(Encyclopedia)Kaunitz, Wenzel Anton, Fürst von vĕnˈtsəl änˈtôn fürst fən kouˈnĭts [key], 1711–94, Austrian statesman. He distinguished himself as a negotiator of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) an...