Alcuin. c735-804. English Counselor to Charlemagne. Set up monastic education system in Europe.

Aldermaston March. 1958-64. Annual ‘Ban the Bomb’ demonstration of CND.

Aldrich, Henry. 1647-1710. English composer/architect: Peckwater Quad, Oxford, 1707-14.

Alembert, Jean Le Rand d’. 1717-83. French philosopher and mathematician, Encyclopaedist.

Alexandra, Feodorovna. 1872-1918. Wife of Nicholas II of Russia. Controlled Gov’t during WWI. Cause of Revolution. Executed. Rasputin.

Alexandrian School. 2C. First Christian school of higher learning.

Alfonso XIII. 1886-1941. King of Spain 1886-1931. Survived 5 assassination attempts. Support for Primo de Rivera weakened monarchy.

Algeciras, Conference. 1906. French retain rights over Morocco.

Alger, Horatio. 1832-99. US writer of boys’ “rags to riches” stories. Ragged Dick 1868.

Ali Pasha. 1741-1822. Turkish governor of Greece. Byron’s “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” subject.

Alien and Sedition Acts. 1798-1800/02. US fear French Revolution. Forbade criticism of government. Abused by Federalists vs Republicans.

Allende, Salvador. 1908-73. Marxist president of Chile 1970-3.

Alma, Battle. 1854 Crimean War. French and British defeat Russians at Sebastapol.

Alsace-Lorraine. Iron rich region along Rhine. 1C BC Rome. 5C Alemanni. 496 Franks. 870 German. 1648(A)/1766(L) French 1871 Prussia. 1919 France 1940 Germany. 1945 France.

Altdorfer, Albrecht. c1480-1538. German founder landscape painting.

Altranstadt, Peace. 1706 Sweden-Poland: Augustus renounces Polish throne. 1707 Sweden-HRE: HRE buys Swedish neutrality in War of Spanish Succession. 1714 Louis XIV-Charles VI.

Alvarez, Luis. 1911-88. US physicist. Linear accelerator, bubble chamber.

Amboina Massacre. 1623. 20 British and Japanese merchants executed by Dutch for plotting overthrow.

Amboise Conspiracy. 1560. Failed Huguenot plot to kidnap French king. Led to massacre of 1200 Huguenots.

Amboise Peace. 1563. Gave limited rights of worship to French Huguenots.

Ambrose, St. c340-397. Bishop of Milan. Introduced Plainsong (chant) into church music.

America’s Cup. 1851. Royal Yacht Squadron race won by Americans until 1983. Oldest international sports trophy.

Amethyst Incident. 1949. Escape of British frigate from China.

Amiens, Treaty. 1527. Henry VIII, Francis I ally vs Charles V. 1802. England, France, Spain, Holland end French Revolutionary Wars. Britain cedes captured territory, gains Ceylon, Trinidad.

Amiens Cathedral. 1220-1270. Romanesque/Gothic.

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