Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Frederick William II, 1744–97, king of Prussia (1786–97), nephew and successor of Frederick II (Frederick the Great). He had the power but lacked the ability of his distinguished predecessors. He ...

(Encyclopedia) Illyria ĭlĭrˈĭkəm [key], ancient region of the Balkan Peninsula. In prehistoric times a group of tribes speaking dialects of an Indo-European language swept down to the northern and eastern shore...

(Encyclopedia) Herkimer, Nicholas, 1728–77, American Revolutionary general. He was born in a German colony near the present town of Herkimer, N.Y. He served in the French and Indian War and was appointed (1776) br...

(Encyclopedia) Kerguelen kûrˈgəlĕn, Fr. kĕrgālĕnˈ [key], subantarctic island of volcanic origin, 1,318 sq mi (3,414 sq km), in the S Indian Ocean, c.3,300 mi (5,310 km) SE of the southern tip of Africa; larg...

(Encyclopedia) Hopkins, Esek, 1718–1802, American Revolutionary naval hero, b. Scituate, R.I.; brother of Stephen Hopkins. He commanded a privateer in the French and Indian War, and in Dec., 1775, he was appointed...

(Encyclopedia) Brigue and Tende brēg, täNd [key], Ital. Briga and Tenda, two small districts, Alpes-Maritimes dept., SE France, on the French-Italian border. The districts are on the “Route Royal,” opened in 1...

(Encyclopedia) revolution, in a political sense, fundamental and violent change in the values, political institutions, social structure, leadership, and policies of a society. The totality of change implicit in this...

(Encyclopedia) Ruffo, Fabrizio fäbrēˈtsēō ro͞ofˈfō [key], 1744–1827, Neapolitan general, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. In the French Revolutionary Wars he led the royal Neapolitan army against the...

(Encyclopedia) Wrede, Karl Philipp von kärl fēˈlĭp fən vrāˈdə [key], 1767–1838, Bavarian general. He helped reorganize the Bavarian army, commanded part of the Bavarian troops fighting with the French agai...

(Encyclopedia) Louise ləwēzˈ [key], 1776–1810, queen of Prussia, consort of Frederick William III; a princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. During the Napoleonic Wars her patriotism and bravery won her lasting popul...