Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Richard de Bury

(Encyclopedia)Richard de Bury bĕrˈē [key], 1287–1345, English bibliophile and bishop of Durham. His name was Aungerville, but he was called Bury from his birthplace, Bury St. Edmunds. Under Edward III he serve...

Pelusium

(Encyclopedia)Pelusium pĭlo͞oˈshēəm [key], ancient city of Egypt, on the easternmost branch of the Nile (long since silted up) and c.20 mi (30 km) E of modern Port Said. It was especially important as a fronti...

Peter Chrysologus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Peter Chrysologus, Saint, c.380–450, bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church. Ordained by Cornelius, bishop of Imola, he lived as a monk for several years before being named bishop by Pope Sixtus II...

Bellman, Carl Michael

(Encyclopedia)Bellman, Carl Michael mēˈkäĕl bĕlˈmän [key], 1740–95, Swedish poet; protégé of Gustavus III. His early poetry was chiefly religious. His dithyrambic odes in Fredmans Epistlar (1790) and Fre...

Cornaro, Caterina

(Encyclopedia)Cornaro, Caterina kätārēˈnä kōrnäˈrō [key], 1454–1510, queen of Cyprus. A celebrated Venetian beauty, she was married in 1472 to James II of Cyprus, who was eager to secure Venetian support...

Cleopatra's Needles

(Encyclopedia)Cleopatra's Needles, name in popular use for two obelisks of red granite from Egypt. Originally erected at Heliopolis (c.1475 b.c.) by Thutmose III, they were transported to Alexandria (c.14 b.c.) und...

Issus

(Encyclopedia)Issus ĭsˈəs [key], ancient town of SE Asia Minor, now in Turkey, 5 mi (8 km) NW of Dörtyol. Located near the head of a gulf (the modern Gulf of Iskenderun), Issus was on a narrow strip of land bac...

Aosta, Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Aosta, Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, duke of äôˈstə, –stä [key], 1869–1931, Italian general; son of King Amadeus of Spain and cousin of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. In World War I he held the...

Flémal, Bertholet

(Encyclopedia)Flémal, Bertholet bĕrtōlĕˈ flāmälˈ [key], 1614–75, Flemish painter of mythological and religious subjects. He went to Italy in 1638 and worked in Florence for the Grand Duke Ferdinand III. R...

Montpellier, University of

(Encyclopedia)Montpellier, University of, at Montpellier, France; founded 1220 by Cardinal Conrad and confirmed by papal bull. The university was suppressed during the French Revolution and replaced by faculties of...