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Manuel I, Byzantine emperor

(Encyclopedia)Manuel I (Manuel Comnenus) kŏmnēˈnəs [key], c.1120–1180, Byzantine emperor (1143–80), son and successor of John II. He began his reign with a war against the Seljuk Turks, the subjugation of R...

Manuel II, Byzantine emperor

(Encyclopedia)Manuel II (Manuel Palaeologus), 1350–1425, Byzantine emperor (1391–1425), son and successor of John V. In his youth he was taken captive by the Turks, and during his reign the Ottomans reduced the...

Spanish-American War

(Encyclopedia)Spanish-American War, 1898, brief conflict between Spain and the United States arising out of Spanish policies in Cuba. It was, to a large degree, brought about by the efforts of U.S. expansionists. ...

Debray, Jules Régis

(Encyclopedia)Debray, Jules Régis zhül rāzhēsˈ dəbrāˈ [key], 1940–, French journalist and government official. He went to Cuba, taught philosophy at the Univ. of Havana, and, after lengthy conversations w...

Piérola, Nicolás de

(Encyclopedia)Piérola, Nicolás de nēkōläsˈ dā pyāˈrōlä [key], 1839–1913, president of Peru (1879–81, 1895–99). Minister of finance under José Balta, he was accused of misappropriating funds and wa...

Mosquera, Tomás Cipriano de

(Encyclopedia)Mosquera, Tomás Cipriano de tōmäsˈ sēprēäˈnō ᵺā mōskāˈrä [key], 1798–1878, Colombian general and president. He first gained attention by his service in the war against Spain. As pres...

Wilson, Charles Erwin

(Encyclopedia)Wilson, Charles Erwin, 1890–1961, American industrialist and cabinet officer, b. Minerva, Ohio. He was an electrical engineer with Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company from 1909 to 1919 a...

Balta, José

(Encyclopedia)Balta, José hōsāˈ bälˈtä [key], 1816–72, president of Peru (1868–72). In 1865 he helped Mariano I. Prado to seize the presidency and served in his government, but in 1867 Balta led in overt...

Paraguay, country, South America

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Paraguay pârˈəgwā, –gwī, Span. pärägwīˈ [key], officially Republic of Paraguay, republic (2015 est. pop. 6,639,000), 157,047 sq mi (406,752 sq km), S central South America. Paraguay ...

flamenco

(Encyclopedia)flamenco, Spanish music and dance typical of the Romani (Gypsy), or gitano. Flamenco dancing is characterized by colorful costumes, intense and erotic movements, stamping of the feet (zapateado), and ...