Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

473 results found

Gowon, Yakubu

(Encyclopedia)Gowon, Yakubu yäko͞oˈbo͞o gôˈwŏn [key], 1934–, Nigerian head of state. After entering the Nigerian army in 1954, he advanced (1966) to battalion commander. After Nigeria's second bloody coup ...

Fleetwood, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Fleetwood, Charles, 1618?–1692, English parliamentary general. He fought under Oliver Cromwell in many battles of the English civil war and later (1650) in Scotland. He became (1651) a member of the...

Issoufou, Mahamadou

(Encyclopedia)Issoufou, Mahamadou mähämädo͞o ēso͞ofo͞oˈ [key], 1951–, Nigerien political leader, president of Niger (2011–). After studying in France, he worked as a mining engineer and helped found (19...

Jordan, Camille

(Encyclopedia)Jordan, Camille kämēˈyə zhôrdäNˈ [key], 1771–1821, French writer and political figure. A moderate supporter of the French Revolution, he fled France during the Reign of Terror and again after...

Barrientos Ortuño, René

(Encyclopedia)Barrientos Ortuño, René rānāˈ bär-ryānˈtōs ōrto͞oˈnyō [key], 1919–69, Bolivian political leader. Commander of the Bolivian air force, he supported the National Revolutionary Movement (M...

Pelopidas

(Encyclopedia)Pelopidas pĭlŏpˈĭdəs [key], d. 364 b.c., Theban general. When the Spartans seized the citadel of Thebes (now Thívai) in 382, he fled to Athens and prepared the coup that recovered the city (379)...

Prem Tinsulanonda

(Encyclopedia)Prem Tinsulanonda, 1920–2019, Thai military and political leader. After serving in the Thai army, where he rose to become commander in chief (1978), he entered politics. He served in the Thai senate...

Pausanias, Spartan general

(Encyclopedia)Pausanias pôsāˈnēəs [key], d. c.470 b.c., Spartan general; nephew of King Leonidas. He was the victorious commander at Plataea (479) near Thebes in the Persian Wars and followed up the battle wit...

Rydz-Śmigły, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Rydz-Śmigły or Śmigły-Rydz, Edward rĭtsˈ-shmēgˈlĭ [key], 1886–1941, Polish politician. He served under Piłsudski in the Polish Legions (1914–17), in the war with Soviet Russia (1920), an...

Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa

(Encyclopedia)Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa älhäˈjē äbo͞oˈbäkärˌ täfäˈwä bälāˈwä [key], 1912–66, Nigerian political leader. He was born Mallam Abubakar. After studying to become a teacher, ...