Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Machaut, Guillaume de gēyōmˈ də mäshōˈ [key], c.1300–1377, French poet and composer. Variants of his name include Machault, de Machaudio, and de Mascaudio. He studied theology and took holy o...

(Encyclopedia) Marsh, Charles Wesley, 1834–1918, American inventor and editor, b. Ontario. In 1849 his family moved to De Kalb co., Ill. Assisted by his brother William, he designed a hand-binding harvester and ob...

(Encyclopedia) Floridablanca or Florida Blanca, José Moñino, conde de hōsāˈ mōnyēˈnō kōnˈdā dā flōrēˈᵺä blängˈkä [key], 1728–1808, Spanish statesman. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from S...

(Encyclopedia) L'Hôpital or L'Hospital, Michel de both: mēshĕlˈ də lōpētälˈ [key], c.1505–1573, chancellor of France under Catherine de' Medici. He was Catherine's chief collaborator in the policy of reli...

(Encyclopedia) Dumouriez, Charles François shärl fräNswäˈ dümo͞o-rēāˈ [key], 1739–1823, French general in the French Revolutionary Wars. After fighting in the Seven Years War, he was employed by King Lou...

(Encyclopedia) Medici, Piero de', 1471–1503, Italian merchant prince. He succeeded his father, Lorenzo de' Medici (Lorenzo il Magnifico), as head of the Medici family and as leader of the Florentine state. In 1494...

(Encyclopedia) Charles VIII, 1470–98, king of France (1483–98), son and successor of Louis XI. He first reigned under the regency of his sister Anne de Beaujeu. After his marriage (1491) to Anne of Brittany, he ...

(Encyclopedia) Gide, Charles zhēd [key], 1847–1932, French economist. A professor at the universities of Bordeaux, Montpellier, and Paris, Gide was an expert on international monetary problems. He also played an...

(Encyclopedia) Sainte-Beuve, Charles Augustin shärl ōgüstăNˈ săNt-böv [key], 1804–69, French literary historian and critic. The first major professional literary critic, he developed the art of appreciating...

(Encyclopedia) Clanricarde, Ulick de Burgh, 5th earl and marquess of yo͞oˈlĭk də bûrg, klănrĭkˈərd [key], 1604–57, Irish Catholic nobleman. He assisted James Butler, 12th earl of Ormonde, in his attempt, ...