Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Merian, Maria Sibylla märēˈä zĭbüˈlä māˈrēän [key], 1647–1717, German naturalist, entomologist, and painter of insects and flowers, b. Frankfurt; daughter of Matthäus Merian, the elder....

(Encyclopedia) Narváez, Ramón María närväˈĕth [key], 1800–1868, Spanish general and statesman. He distinguished himself fighting for Isabella II against the Carlists (1834–39). When Espartero rose to pow...

(Encyclopedia) Luini, Bernardino bārnärdēˈnō lo͞oēˈnē [key], c.1480–1532, b. Luino, Italian painter, son of Giovanni Lutero. Among the extant works of his early years (before 1510) are a Pietà (Santa Mar...

(Encyclopedia) Santa Maria sänˈtə mərēˈə [key], city (1991 pop. 217,592), Rio Grande do Sul state, S Brazil. It is a major railroad terminus and the site of an important military base. Foodstuffs and rail mac...

(Encyclopedia) María de Molina dā mōlēˈnä [key], d. 1321, queen of Castile, consort of Sancho IV. As regent (1295–1301) for her son, Ferdinand IV, she defended his throne against several pretenders, who were...

(Encyclopedia) Grimaldi, Francesco Maria fränchāsˈkō märēˈä grēmälˈdē [key], 1618?–1663, Italian physicist and mathematician. A Jesuit and professor at Bologna, he studied in detail and named the dark ...

(Encyclopedia) Louis the Child, 893–911, German king (900–911), son and successor of King Arnulf. He was the last of the German line of the Carolingians. The archbishop of Mainz was regent for him. During his re...

(Encyclopedia) Maria Feodorovna märēˈä fyôˈdərəvnə [key], 1847–1928, czarina of Russia, consort of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II. Originally named Dagmar, she was the daughter of Christian IX of...

(Encyclopedia) Mitchell, Maria, 1818–89, American astronomer and educator, b. Nantucket, Mass. Mitchell taught school in Nantucket, and later became a librarian. On Oct. 1, 1847, Mitchell discovered a comet (1847 ...

(Encyclopedia) Puerto de Santa María ᵺā sänˈtä märēˈä [key], town (1990 pop. 64,849), Cádiz prov., S Spain, in Andalusia, on the Bay of Cádiz at the mouth of the Guadalete River. It is a commercial cent...