Blackstone, William. 1723-80. English common law scholar/jurist. Commentaries 1765-9.

Blake, Robert. 1599-1657. English Commonwealth admiral.

Blake, William. 1757-1827. English mystical poet and engraver of his own books. Marriage of Heaven and Hell 1790-3. Job 1821. Dante’s Divine Comedy 1825.

Blanc, Louis. 1811-82. French Utopian Socialist. Theory of equal wages. National Workshops. Organization du Travail 1839.

Blanchard, Jean. 1753-1809. French balloonist. First aerial Channel crossing 1785. Velocipede 1779.

Blanche of Castile. 1188-1252. Mother, regent for St. Louis. Hôtel de Nesle. Helped unify France.

Blandine, St. Martyr at Lyon, 177.

Blanqui, Louis. 1805-81. French militant socialist. Coined: “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”, “Industrial Revolution”, 1837. Unsuccessful uprising 1839. Commune leader. Secret societies.

Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider). 1911-14. Organization of Abstract Expressionist artists. Kandinsky. Klee.

Blavatsky, Helena. 1831-91. Founded Theosophical Society, 1875.

Bleeding Kansas. 1854-59. Antislavery vs Slavery advocates for control of Kansas. Wyandotte Constitution.

Blenheim, Battle. 1704. Bavaria. Marlborough’s victory in War of Spanish Succession. First French defeat in 50 years, saves Vienna.

Blériot, Louis. 1872-1936. French aviator. First plane to cross Channel, 1909.

Blest Gana. 1830-1920. Chilean novelist. Arithmetic of Love 1862.

Bligh, William. 1754-1817. English captain of Bounty. Discovered breadfruit.

Bliss, Arthur. 1891-1975. English subjective composer. Colour Symphony 1922.

Blitz. 1940-41. Popular name for Battle of Britain.

Blitzkrieg. 1938-45. German battle tactic. Rapid, deep assault with tanks supported from air.

Bloch, Ernest. 1880-1959. Swiss/US neoclassical composer. Jewish themes. America 1926.

Blockade. Naval strategy preventing access to an enemy’s coast.

Blondin, Charles. 1824-97. French tightrope walker over Niagara, 1859.

Blood, Thomas. 1628-80. Attempted to steal British crown jewels 1671.

Blood Purge. 1934. Hitler’s murder of 74 Nazi radicals.

Bloody Assizes. 1685. Trial of Monmouth’s rebels. 320 hung. 800 deported.

Bloody Sunday. 1887. Police kill 2 Socialists in Trafalgar Square Riot. 1905. Slaughter of petitioners to Winter Palace of Nicholas II leads to Russian Revolution. 1972. 13 killed in Londonderry riot.

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