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Constantine VII, Byzantine emperor

(Encyclopedia)Constantine VII (Constantine Porphyrogenitus), 905–59, Byzantine emperor (913–59). He acceded after the brief reign of his uncle Alexander, who succeeded Constantine's father, Leo VI. A regency (9...

Grenville, George Nugent Temple, 1st marquess of Buckingham

(Encyclopedia)Grenville, George Nugent Temple, 1st marquess of Buckingham, 1753–1813, British statesman; second son of George Grenville. He sat in the House of Commons from 1774 until 1779, when he succeeded his ...

Guelleh, Ismaïl Omar

(Encyclopedia)Guelleh, Ismaïl Omar hĭsˈmäĭl ōˈmär gĕlˈlä [key], 1947–, Djiboutian political leader, b. Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. He moved to Djibouti (then a French territory) in the late 1960s and joined t...

Maria I

(Encyclopedia)Maria I, 1734–1816, queen of Portugal (1777–1816), daughter of Joseph I. She was married (1760) to her uncle, who assumed joint rule with her as Peter III. Neither of them was much interested in a...

Louis II, king of Bavaria

(Encyclopedia)Louis II, 1845–86, king of Bavaria (1864–86), son and successor of King Maximilian II. Much was hoped from the handsome, talented, and liberal young prince at his accession, but his prodigality an...

Stuart, David, duke of Rothesay

(Encyclopedia)Stuart or Stewart, David, duke of Rothesay rŏthˈsē [key], 1378?–1402, Scottish prince; son and heir apparent of Robert III. On his father's accession (1390) to the throne, David became earl of Ca...

Abbas

(Encyclopedia)Abbas äbäsˈ, ăbäsˈ, ăbˈəs [key], d. 653, uncle of Muhammad the Prophet and of Ali the caliph. A wealthy merchant of Mecca, he was at first opposed to the religious movement initiated by his n...

Berenice, b. c.a.d. 28, Jewish princess

(Encyclopedia)Berenice, b. c.a.d. 28, Jewish princess; daughter of Herod Agrippa I (see under Herod). A very beautiful woman, she was often involved in intrigue. After her first husband died, she was married to her...

Hammett, Dashiell

(Encyclopedia)Hammett, Dashiell dəshēlˈ [key], 1894–1961, American writer, b. St. Mary's co., Maryland. After a variety of jobs, including several years working as a detective for the Pinkerton agency, beginni...

Newhouse, Samuel Irving

(Encyclopedia)Newhouse, Samuel Irving, 1895–1979, American newspaper and magazine publisher, b. New York City as Solomon Neuhaus, known generally as Sam. From 1922 to the 1970s, his Advance Publications acquired ...