Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Jean de Meun zhäN də möN [key], d. 1305, French poet, also known as Jean Chopinel (or Clopinel) of Meung-sur-Loire. He wrote the second part of the Roman de la Rose and made translations from Latin...

(Encyclopedia) La Brea lə brāˈə [key], area, S Calif., formerly in Rancho La Brea. The La Brea asphalt pits, which yielded prehistoric animal and plant remains, are in Hancock Park, Los Angeles. The first fossil...

(Encyclopedia) Rioja, La lä rēōˈhä [key], autonomous community (2011 pop. 321,173), 1,948 sq mi (5,045 sq km), N Spain, coextensive with La Rioja prov. A fertile region, it is famous for its fine wines, which a...

(Encyclopedia) La Guaira lä gwīˈrä [key], city (1990 pop. 23,831), capital of Vargas state, N Venezuela, on the Caribbean Sea NW of Caracas. It is the principal international port of Venezuela; cacao, coffee, an...

(Encyclopedia) La Serena lä sārāˈnä [key], city (1990 est. pop. 105,600), capital of Coquimbo region, N central Chile, on the Elqui River. A commercial and agricultural center in a region of orchards and vineya...

(Encyclopedia) Hougue, La: see Hogue, La.

(Encyclopedia) La Vega lä vāˈgä [key], city (1993 pop. 73,387), central Dominican Republic, on the Camú River. La Vega is the commercial and processing center of a rich agricultural region. A religious sanctuar...

(Encyclopedia) Marie de' Medici mĕdˈĭchē [key], 1573–1642, queen of France, second wife of King Henry IV and daughter of Francesco de' Medici, grand duke of Tuscany. She was married to Henry in 1600. After his...

(Encyclopedia) Villèle, Jean Baptiste Séraphin Joseph, comte de zhäN bätēstˈ sāräfăNˈ zhôzĕfˈ kôNt də vēlĕlˈ [key], 1773–1854, French statesman and premier (1822–28). Elected (1815) a deputy af...

(Encyclopedia) La Tuque lä tük [key], town (1991 pop. 10,003), S Que., Canada, on the St. Maurice River, NW of Quebec. La Tuque, in a lumbering and farming region, was established as a trading post in the French p...