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(Encyclopedia)Westphalia, Peace of, 1648, general settlement ending the Thirty Years War. It marked the end of the Holy Roman Empire as an effective institution and inaugurated the modern European state system. The...

constitution, principles of government

(Encyclopedia)constitution, fundamental principles of government in a nation, either implied in its laws, institutions, and customs, or embodied in one fundamental document or in several. In the first category—cu...

Placentia, city, California

(Encyclopedia)Placentia, city (1990 pop. 41,259), Orange co., S Calif.; inc. 1926. Once a rural farming community, it has become a residential city with manufactures that include industrial products, foods, furnitu...

Washington and Lee University

(Encyclopedia)Washington and Lee University, at Lexington, Va.; coeducational; founded and opened 1749 as Augusta Academy. It was called Liberty Hall in 1776; became Liberty Hall Academy (a college) in 1782, Washin...

Ignatius of Antioch, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Ignatius of Antioch, Saint ĭgnāˈshəs, ănˈtēŏk [key], d. c.107, bishop of Antioch and Christian martyr, called Theophorus [Gr.,= God-bearer]. He was probably a convert and a disciple of St. Joh...

Florida State University

(Encyclopedia)Florida State University, at Tallahassee; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1857. Present name was adopted in 1947. Special research facilities include those in nuclear science and oceanography. ...

Charles II, emperor of the West and king of the West Franks

(Encyclopedia)Charles II or Charles the Bald, 823–77, emperor of the West (875–77) and king of the West Franks (843–77); son of Emperor Louis I by a second marriage. The efforts of Louis to create a kingdom f...

William, prince of Wales

(Encyclopedia)William, (William Arthur Philip Louis), 1982–, Prince of Wales of Great Britian, eldest son of King Charles III and Diana ...

Basel, Council of

(Encyclopedia)Basel, Council of, 1431–49, first part of the 17th ecumenical council in the Roman Catholic Church. It is generally considered to have been ecumenical until it fell into heresy in 1437; after that i...