Lavoisier, Antoine. 1743-94. French “father of modern chemistry”. Oxygen in combustion 1772. Guillotined.

La Voisin. Burned at the stake for selling “inheritance powder” (poison), 1680. Poisons Affair.

Law, Bonar. 1858-1923. Scottish MP, British Prime Minister 1922-3. Tariff reforms.

Law, John. 1671-1729. Scottish financier. Founded Paris stock exchange, 1717. Bankrupted by Mississippi Scheme, 1720.

Law Commission Act. 1965. First codification of English common law.

Lawrence, D.H. 1885-1930. Censored English psychological novelist exploring consciousness and morality. Sons and Lovers 1913. Women in Love 1926. Lady Chatterly’s Lover 1928. Modernism.

Lawrence, Ernest. 1901-58. Invented cyclotron, 1930.

Lawrence, James. 1781-1813. US naval commander in War of 1812. -“Don’t give up the ship!”

Lawrence, St. -258. Martyr with Pope St Sixtus II.

Lawrence, Thomas. 1769-1830. English portrait artist.

Lawrence, Thomas (of Arabia). 1888-1935. English writer, officer. Led Arabs against Turks, 1914-18: Seven Pillars of Wisdom 1926.

Laxness, Halldór. 1902-98. Icelandic writer. Weaver of Cashmere 1927. Independent People 1935.

Layamon. c1200. English poet. First mention of King Arthur, Lear, Merlin.

Lazear, Jesse. 1866-1900. Linked mosquito with yellow fever, 1900, of which he died. Reed. Agramonte.

Le. 1428-1788. Annam dynasty in Vietnam. Gained independence from China.

Leacock, Stephen. 1869-1944. Canadian humourist. Nonsense Novels 1911.

League of 3 Emperors. 1872. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia for defence vs France.

League of Nations. 1920-46. Versailles. For everlasting peace. Idea of US, who did not join. Germany 1926-33. Maximum 63 nations. Failed 1931 when Japan attacked Manchuria. USSR expelled1939. Dissolved 1946. Mandates.

Leakey, Louis. 1903-72. British anthropological archeologist. With wife Mary, discovered homo habilis and other ancient humanoid fossils.

Leaning Tower. 1174-1350. Pisa cathedral bell tower.

Lear. Mythological Celtic king. Shakespearean subject.

Lear, Edward. 1812-88. 1846 Book of Nonsense popularized limericks.

Lebanese Civil War. 1975-91. Moslem PLO gain power over Phalangists. Lebanese National Pact. Israeli, Syrian intervention 1978-82.

Lebanese Crisis. 1958. US Marines intervene in Civil War vs Communists.

Lebanese National Pact. 1943-75. Compromise government of Maronite President, Sunni Prime Minister, Shi’ite Speaker.

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