Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Grand Alliance, War of the

(Encyclopedia) Grand Alliance, War of the, 1688–97, war between France and a coalition of European powers, known as the League of Augsburg (and, after 1689, as the Grand Alliance). Louis XIV of France took advanta...

Harsha, Indian emperor

(Encyclopedia) Harsha hûrˈshə [key], b. c.590, Indian emperor (606–47). He became (606) king of a small state in the upper Ganges Valley, and by 612 he had built up a vast army with which he forged nearly all I...

Abnaki

(Encyclopedia) Abnaki or Abenaki both: ăbnäˈkē [key], Native North Americans of the Algonquian branch of the Algonquian-Wakashan linguistic stock (see Native American languages). The name Abnaki was given to the...

Frontenac, Louis de Buade, comte de Palluau et de

(Encyclopedia) Frontenac, Louis de Buade, comte de Palluau et de frŏnˈtĭnăk, Fr. lwē də büädˈ koNt də pälüōˈ ā də frôNtənäkˈ [key], 1620–98, French governor of New France. His early military ca...

British Indian Ocean Territory

(Encyclopedia) British Indian Ocean Territory, archipelago, c.1,180 mi (1,900 km), NE of Mauritius, in the central Indian Ocean. The more than 50 islands, which form the Chagos Archipelago and are located on the sou...

French India

(Encyclopedia) French India, former overseas territory of France in India, composed of the coastal enclaves of Pondichéry (now Puducherry), Karikal (now Karaikal), Yanaon (now Yanam), and Mahé (now Mahe) in the so...