Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Alarcón, Juan Ruiz de dā älärkōnˈ [key], 1581?–1639, Spanish dramatic poet, one of the great literary figures of the Spanish Golden Age, b. Mexico. After practicing law in Spain (1600–1608)...

(Encyclopedia) Valdés, Juan de hwän ᵺā väldāsˈ [key], c.1500–1540, Spanish reformer, b. Cuenca. Suspected by the Inquisition, he went soon after 1530 to Naples, where he became the center of a circle of me...

(Encyclopedia) Garay, Juan de hwän dā gärīˈ [key], c.1528–1583, Spanish conquistador, refounder of Buenos Aires. He went to Peru (1544) in the train of the first viceroy, Blasco Núñez Vela, and was active a...

(Encyclopedia) Prim, Juan hwän prēm [key], 1814–70, Spanish general and statesman. A Catalan officer, he fought for Isabella II against the Carlists and became one of the chief factional leaders in the fierce po...

(Encyclopedia) Cierva, Juan de la hwän dā lä thyārˈvä [key], 1895–1936, Spanish aeronautical engineer, inventor of a rotary-wing aircraft called an autogiro. He flew his first autogiro in 1923 and crossed th...

(Encyclopedia) Oñate, Juan de hwän dā ōnyäˈtā [key], fl. 1595–1614, Spanish explorer in the American Southwest, possibly b. New Spain. In 1598 he led an expedition north from New Spain, took possession of N...

(Encyclopedia) Onganía, Juan Carlos hwän kärˈlōs ōngänēˈä [key], 1914–95, president of Argentina (1966–70). He served (1963–65) as commander in chief of the army and in 1962 led a revolt within the a...

(Encyclopedia) Samaranch, Juan Antonio (Juan Antonio Samaranch Torello, marqués de Samaranch), 1920–2010, Spanish Olympic official. He was a businessman, an elected public official, and served (1977–80) as Span...

(Encyclopedia) Juan Manuel, Infante de Castile hwän mänwĕlˈ, ēnfänˈtā ᵺā kästēˈlā [key], 1282–1349?, Spanish nobleman, soldier, and writer; nephew of Alfonso X (called the Wise). Juan Manuel was a w...

(Encyclopedia) Juan de Nova Island hwän də nōˈvə [key], 1.7 sq mi (4.4 sq km), in the Mozambique Channel, Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Mozambique. A possession of France administered by a high commissio...