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

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

Villiers, G. 1592-1628. First Duke of Buckingham. Incompetent favourite of Charles I who dissolved parliament to prevent his impeachment, 1626 causing Civil War.

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.

Vinland. ~1000. Region of northeast North America discovered by Leif Eriksson. L’Anse aux Meadows.

Violencia. 1948-62. Spain under Franco. 1946-64. Colombian repression. 200,000 dead.

Viollet-le-Duc, Eugène. 1814-79. French Gothic Revival architect. Restored Notre-Dame 1841-54, Vincennes. Ste-Chapelle.

Virginia. Algonkian, Sioux, Iroquoia. 1587 British settle Roanoke Colony. 1607 First successful colony. 1619 Slaves brought. 1776 Independent. USA.

Viriathus. -c139BC. Lusitanian herdsman. Led successful revolt vs Rome c147-139BC.

Visconti. 1311-1450. Milanese noble family.

Visigoths. 376-711. Western Goths. Alaric sacked Rome 410. Defeated at Vouillé by Clovis 510. Settled Spain, southern France 415-711. Destroyed by Moors 711.

Vitalism. Bergson’s theory of evolution. Life force differentiates living things from others. Aristotle.

Vitry, Philippe de. 1291-1361. French composer, codified rules of composition. Ars Nova 1320.

Vivian. Wanton. Captured Merlin in Arthurian legend.

Vladimir I, St. 956-1015. First Christian Russian ruler. Ordered people to convert.

Volsci. -338BC. Italian peoples conquered by Rome.

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

Voltaire, François. 1694-1778. French philosopher vs tyranny, bigotry, cruelty. Challenged accepted beliefs. Quotations became revolutionary slogans. Lettres Philosophique 1734. Candide 1758.

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.

Vorticism. 1900-20. Art movement of mechanical forms and angles. Lewis. Gaudier-Brzeska.

Vulgate. 405. Official Latin translation of Bible by St Jerome. First printed 1455.

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

Wagner, Richard. 1813-83. German Romantic opera composer/librettist. Leitmotif. Unified drama and music in long and complex operas. Tannhäuser 1845. Lohengrin 1850. Nibelung Ring 1853-76. Tristan and Isolde 1857-9. Parsifal 1882.

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

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