Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Zhukovsky, Vasily Andreyevich vəsēˈlyē əndrāˈəvĭch zho͞okôfˈskē [key], 1783–1852, Russian poet and translator. Zhukovsky wrote fine lyrics and odes, including the patriotic poem “The ...

(Encyclopedia) Samara səmäˈrə [key], river, c.360 mi (580 km) long, rising in the foothills of the S Urals, European Russia. It flows generally northwest, and joins the Volga River at Samara. ...

(Encyclopedia) Vyatka vyätˈkə [key], river, c.850 mi (1,370 km) long, rising in the foothills of the central Urals, E European Russia, and flowing first N, then NW past the city of Kirov, and finally SE into the ...

(Encyclopedia) John II (John Casimir), 1609–72, king of Poland (1648–68), son of Sigismund III. He was elected to succeed his brother, Ladislaus IV. The turbulent period of his reign is known in Polish history a...

(Encyclopedia) Charles X, 1622–60, king of Sweden (1654–60), nephew of Gustavus II. The son of John Casimir, count palatine of Zweibrücken, he brought the house of Wittelsbach to the Swedish throne when his cou...

(Encyclopedia) Sophia Alekseyevna sôˈfyə əlyĭksyāˈyəvnə [key], 1657–1704, regent of Russia (1682–89); daughter of Czar Alexis by his first wife and sister of Czar Feodor III. Supported by the streltsi (...

(Encyclopedia) Izvolsky, Aleksandr Petrovich əlyĭksänˈdər pētrôˈvĭch ēzvôlˈskē [key], 1856–1919, Russian diplomat instrumental in fostering the Triple Entente with France and Great Britain. He rose in...

(Encyclopedia) Aldan, river, c.1,400 mi (2,250 km) long, rising in the Stanovoy Range, Sakha Republic, SE Siberian Russia. It flows north and east, past Tommot and around the Aldan Plateau, before flowing generally ...

(Encyclopedia) Dvina dvēnäˈ [key] or Northern Dvina, Rus. Severnaya Dvina, river, c.465 mi (750 km) long, N European Russia. It is formed near Veliki Ustyug by the union of the Sukhona and Yug rivers, flows N pas...

(Encyclopedia) William I, 1781–1864, king of Württemberg (1816–64), son and successor of Frederick I. Before his accession he fought (1812) with the French emperor Napoleon I in Russia and later, when Frederick...