Bernadotte, Jean. 1763-1844. Marshal of French Empire, became King Karl XIV Johan of Sweden 1818.

Bernardin de St. Pierre, Jacques. 1737-1814. French writer. Propagated JJ Rousseau’s back to nature philosophy. Paul et Virginie 1788.

Bernicia. 6C Anglian kingdom in Northumbria. Deira.

Berserks. Ferocious medieval Norse warriors in bearskins.

Bessarabia. Disputed Black Sea region between Romania and Russia. 14C Moldavia. 15/16C Ottoman. 1812 Russia. 1918 Romania. 1940 MSSR. 1941 Romania. 1944 USSR. 1991 Moldova.

Bessemer, Henry. 1813-98. English inventor of economical steel making process, 1856.

Best, Charles. 1899-1978. Canadian. insulin discoverer. Banting.

Bhutan. Himalayan kingdom. 9C Tibet invaders settle. c1630 Independent. 17,18C Tibet invades. 1865 Part British 1907 Monarchy. 1910 British Protectorate. 1949 Indian Protectorate.

Bhutto, Ali. 1928-79. Pakistani leader 70-77. Deposed by Zia.

Biafra. 1967-70. Ojukwu-led Ibos try to secede from Nigeria resulting in famine.

Bible. Hebrew and Christian sacred scriptures translated from Hebrew and Aramaic. 3C BC Greek translation. 1382 Wycliffe, Rogers, English. 1522-34 Luther, German. 1611 King James version. Vulgate by St. Jerome. Apocrypha.

Bibliothèque Nationale. French National Library begun by Charles V collection now houses 20M works. 7M Books.

Biedermeier. 1815-35. German bourgeois kitsch style of sentimental art and utilitarian furniture. Circular pedestal table.

Bierce, Ambrose. 1842-1914. Satirical US writer. Cobwebs 1874. From an Empty Skull.

Big Stick Policy. Roosevelt’s foreign policy. Power as a deterrent. Mahan.

Billy the Kid. 1859-81. US frontier outlaw.

Birch, John. -1945. US missionary killed in China. Cold War hero of John Birch Society.

Bismarck, Otto von. 1815-98. Prince. Prussian Prime Minister 1862-90. Founded German Empire; First Chancellor 1871-90. Provoked Franco-Prussian War. Ems Dispatch. Schleswig.

Bjorko Treaty. 1905. Unimplemented military alliance between German Wilhelm II and Russian Nicholas II.

Bjørnson, Bjørnstjerne. 1832-1910. Norwegian poet, novelist: Kongen 1877, National anthem.

Black, Joseph. 1728-99. French/Scottish chemist. Latent heat 1757. CO2.

Black and Tans. 1920-22. Brutal British police sent to suppress Irish unrest. Irish Free State.

Black Army. 1463-1500. Powerful Hungarian mercenary force.

Black Code. 1685. Louis XIV edict on treatment of slaves in French colonies.

Black Codes. 1865-6. Strict US local laws to control blacks based on slave codes. Freedmen. Jim Crow.

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