Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Hérault de Séchelles, Marie Jean märēˈ zhäN ārōˈ də sāshĕlˈ [key], 1759–94, French revolutionary. A lawyer, he became a favorite of Queen Marie Antoinette, but nevertheless joined the r...

(Encyclopedia) Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph, Baron, 1768–1830, French mathematician and physicist. He was noted for his researches on heat and on numerical equations. He originated Fourier's theorem on vibratory ...

(Encyclopedia) Vincennes, Jean Baptiste Bissot, sieur de fräNswäˈ märēˈ [key], 1700–1736, b. Montreal, was called François Margane after his godfather and uncle. He served as a cadet under his father from 1...

(Encyclopedia) Argenson, Marc Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, comte d' märk pyĕr də vwäyāˈ də pōmēˈ kôNt därzhäNsôNˈ [key], 1696–1764, French statesman and patron of literature; younger brother of René ...

(Encyclopedia) Fénelon, François de Salignac de la Mothe fräNswäˈ də sälēnyäkˈ də lä môt fānəlôNˈ [key], 1651–1715, French theologian and writer, a leader of the quietism heresy, archbishop of Cam...

(Encyclopedia) Ensenada, Zenón de Somodevilla, marqués de la thānōnˈ dā sōmōᵺāvēˈlyä märkāsˈ dā lä ānsānäˈᵺä [key], 1702–81, Spanish statesman. He was created (1736) marquis for his part ...

(Encyclopedia) Guébriant, Jean Baptiste Budes, comte de zhäN bätēstˈ büd kôNt də gābrēäNˈ [key], 1602–43, marshal of France and general in the Thirty Years War. He commanded the French auxiliaries of B...

(Encyclopedia) Jean, Michaëlle, 1957–, Canadian journalist, filmmaker, and women's rights activist, b. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her family immigrated to Canada in 1968. After studying languages and literature at th...

(Encyclopedia) Richelieu, Armand Jean du Plessis, duc de (Cardinal Richelieu) plĕsēˈ dük də rēshəlyöˈ [key], 1585–1642, French prelate and statesman, chief minister of King Louis XIII, cardinal of the Ro...

(Encyclopedia) Garcilaso de la Vega gärsēläˈsō dā lä vāˈgä [key], 1539–1616, Peruvian historian; son of the Spanish conquistador Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega and an Incan princess and therefore called...