Columbia Encyclopedia

(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...

(Encyclopedia) Schönbrunn shönbro͝onˈ [key], former imperial palace in Vienna, built during the reigns of Emperor Charles VI and Maria Theresa. Mainly designed by Fischer von Erlach, it is a splendid example of ...

(Encyclopedia) Eguren, José María hōsāˈ mārēˈä ĕgo͞oˈrān [key], 1882–1942, Peruvian poet. Originally devoted to modernismo, Eguren avoided its excesses and wrote terse, musical, and sometimes obscure ...

(Encyclopedia) Bucareli y Ursúa, Antonio María äntōˈnyō märēˈä bo͞okärāˈlē ē o͞orso͞oˈä [key], 1717–79, Spanish colonial administrator. He served in the Spanish army and as governor of Cuba bef...

(Encyclopedia) Callas, Maria Meneghini märēˈä mĕnĕgēˈnē käˈläs [key], 1923–77, Greek-American soprano, b. New York City. At 13, Callas moved to Greece, where she studied at the Royal Conservatory in At...

(Encyclopedia) Urban, Joseph Maria ûrˈbən [key], 1872–1933, American architect and scene designer, b. Vienna. He won distinction with his architectural work, including the bridge across the Neva at St. Petersbu...

(Encyclopedia) Santa María, Domingo dōmēngˈgō sänˈtä märēˈä [key], 1825–89, Chilean historian and statesman, president of Chile (1881–86). A liberal statesman, scholar, and author of several historic...

(Encyclopedia) pragmatic sanction, decision of state dealing with a matter of great importance to a community or a whole state and having the force of fundamental law. The term originated in Roman law and was used o...