Vasa. 1523-1818. Swedish dynasty. Ruled Poland 1587-1668. Dominated 17C Baltic.

Vauban, Sébastien de. 1633-1707. French military engineer. Invented trenches 1673, socket bayonet 1688.

Vaughan Williams, Ralph. 1872-1958. English Nationalist composer of symphonies, ballads, songs. Combined folk idiom with 16C polyphony. Sea 1910. Pastoral Symphony 1922.

Verdun. 1916. Battle in which French repulsed the Germans. 750,000 casualties.

Verona. Raeti. Etruscans. Gauls. 89BC Rome. 489 Ostrogoth. 774 Charlemagne. 1107 Republic. 1164 Veronese League...Lombard League. 1387 Milan. 1405 Venice. 1797 Austria. 1866 Italy.

Verrocchio, Andrea del. 1435-88. Florentine artist. St Thomas and Christ 1467-83. Bartolomeo 1483-8.

Vico, Giambattista. 1668-1744. Italian cultural philosopher: Scienzo Nuova 1720.

Victory, HMS. Oldest commissioned British warship. Launched 1765. Nelson’s flagship 1797-1805. Trafalgar.

Villa, Pancho. 1878-1923. Mexican revolutionary, bandit. Chihuahua governor. 1913-. Overthrew Huerta with Carranza 1914. Raided New Mexico 1916.

Villeneuve, Pierre. 1763-1806. French admiral defeated at Trafalgar.

Villeroi. 1644-1730. French Marshal defeated at Ramillies.

Villon, François. 1431-63+. French bohemian poet in “jargon”, secret language of Conquillades. Banished. Le Testament 1461.

Vimy Ridge. 1917. WWI battle. Key position taken by Canadians despite high casualties.

Virginius Affair. 1873. Spain siezes US flagged Cuban ship, Virginius. Executes 53 for smuggling arms to Cuba during Ten Years War. Indemnity paid to US, Great Britain.

Vivaldi, Antonio. 1678-1741. Venetian violinist, Baroque composer. Standard concerto pattern; more than 500 concertos. Four Seasons 1725.

Volta, Alessandro. 1745-1827. Italian physicist: electric battery 1800.

V-1, V-2. 1944. WWII German missiles vs Britain, Belgium. V=Vergeltung(Revenge). 8,000 V-1s. 1300 V-2s. Basis for future space research.

Wager of Battle. Trial by Combat. 8C-1817. Norse custom in England. Accused challenges accuser to combat-acquitted if he refuses.

Wagram, Battle. 1809. Napoleon defeats Austrian Archduke Charles. Znaim. Schönbrunn Treaty.

Wahabi. 18-19C. Militant Moslem Arab Puritan sect. Fought Porte 1813-15. Invaded Kuwait 1919,27,28; repulsed with British help. 2001 World Trade Center. Taliban.

Wailing Wall, Battle. 1929. Jews battle Moslems.

Wakefield, Battle. 1460. War of Roses. 1643 English Civil War.

Wallace, George. 1919-98. Alabama segregationist governor, presidential candidate. Shot 1972.

Wallis, Barnes. 1887-1979. British armament inventor.

Wandiwash, Battle. 1760. British defeat French at Madras. French leave India.

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