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Melville, Andrew

(Encyclopedia)Melville, Andrew, 1545–1622, Scottish religious reformer and scholar. He studied abroad, came under the influence of Theodore Beza, and was a professor at Geneva. He was principal (1574–80) of the...

Khíos

(Encyclopedia)Khíos kīˈŏs [key], island (1991 pop. 51,060), c.350 sq mi (910 sq km), E Greece, in the Aegean Sea, just W of Asia Minor. It is mountainous and is famous for its scenic beauty and good climate. Th...

Kravchuk, Leonid Makarovich

(Encyclopedia)Kravchuk, Leonid Makarovich lĭŭnyētˈ məkärˈəvyĭch kräfˈcho͝ok [key], 1934–, Ukrainian leader, president of Ukraine (1991–94), b. Velyky Zhityn, Ukraine. A political economist and long-...

McKean, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)McKean, Thomas məkānˈ, –kēnˈ [key], 1734–1817, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. New London, Pa. He settled at New Castle, Del., and b...

Sicilian Vespers

(Encyclopedia)Sicilian Vespers, in Italian history, name given the rebellion staged by the Sicilians against the Angevin French domination of Sicily; the rebellion broke out at Palermo at the start of Vespers on Ea...

Fazzan

(Encyclopedia)Fazzan fĕz– [key], historic region, SW Libya. Marzuq, Sabhha, Brak, and Zawilah, all situated in oases in the Sahara Desert, are the chief settlements. The population is largely Arab, with Berber a...

Commagene

(Encyclopedia)Commagene kŏməjēˈnē [key], ancient district of N Syria, on the Euphrates River and S of the Taurus range, now in SE Asian Turkey. Its metropolis, Samosata, was founded by Samos, the king of Comma...

Sture

(Encyclopedia)Sture stüˈrə [key], noble family that played a leading role in Sweden in the 15th and 16th cent. Sten Sture, the elder, c.1440–1503, was chosen regent in 1470. In the battle of Brunkeberg (1471) ...

Ossetia

(Encyclopedia)Ossetia älänˈyä [key], Ossetian Iryston, region of the central Caucasus, divided between the Republic of Georgia and the Russian Federation. On the northern slope is North Ossetia-Alania (1990 est...

Dyk, Viktor

(Encyclopedia)Dyk, Viktor vĭkˈtôr dĭk [key], 1877–1931, Czech writer and nationalist. Dyk considered his novels, satires, short stories, plays, and poems as weapons in the struggle to free his country from Au...
 

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