Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Hevelius, Johannes yōhänˈəs hāvāˈlēo͝os [key], 1611–87, Polish astronomer, b. Danzig. From a finely equipped observatory in his house at Danzig, assisted by his wife Elizabeth, he made valu...

(Encyclopedia) Worth, Charles Frederick, 1825–95, French and British fashion designer. He was the founder of the Maison Worth in Paris and London, the longest running fashion dynasty, and the arbiter of women's fa...

(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, ...

(Encyclopedia) Williams, Betty, 1943–2020, Northern Irish peace activist, b. Belfast as Elizabeth Smyth. In Aug., 1976, Williams, a receptionist, witnessed the death of three children when a car driven by an Irish...

(Encyclopedia) Lennox, Matthew Stuart or Stewart, 4th earl of lĕnˈəks [key], 1516–71, Scottish nobleman. Related to the royal family, being next in the line of succession to the throne after James Hamilton, 2d ...

(Encyclopedia) Boleyn, Anne bo͝olˈĭn, bo͝olĭnˈ [key], 1507?–1536, second queen consort of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I. She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, later earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde,...

(Encyclopedia) Mary Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart), 1542–87, only child of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise. Through her grandmother Margaret Tudor, Mary had the strongest claim to the throne of England after t...

(Encyclopedia) Augustine, Saint ôˈgəstēn, –tĭn; ôgŭsˈtĭn [key], Lat. Aurelius Augustinus, 354–430, one of the Latin Fathers of the Church and a Doctor of the Church, bishop of Hippo (near present-day An...

(Encyclopedia) Murcia, city (1990 pop. 322,911), capital of the autonomous community and coextensive prov. of Murcia, SE Spain, on the Segura River. The city lies in one of the finest irrigated garden regions in Spa...

(Encyclopedia) Lalemant, Jérôme lälmäNˈ [key], 1593–1673, French Jesuit missionary in North America, brother of Charles Lalemant and uncle of Gabriel Lalemant. He was an active missionary among the Huron (16...