Blow, John. 1649-1708. Westminster organist. First English opera, Venus and Adonis 1685.

Bluebeard. 6C- legend of murderous husband.

Blues and Greens. 5-9C. Byzantine political factions. Nika Revolt.

Boeotian League. 550-335BC. Federal government formed by Thebes. Opposed Sparta in Corinthian War. Defeated by Philip of Macedonia, 338. Destroyed by Alexander the Great, 335.

Boffrand, Germain. 1667-1754. French architect. Palais Bourbon 1710.

Bollandists. 1629-. Belgian Jesuits. Update Acta Santorium, (Lives of Roman Catholic saints).

Bonaparte, Louis. 1778-1846. King of Holland 1806-10. Forced to abdicate after opposing Continental System. Napoleon’s brother.

Bonus Army. 1932. US WWI vets march to demand accelerated bonus payment. Dispersed by force.

Book of Common Prayer. 1549. Church of England official prayer book.

Book of the Dead. 24-16C BC. Egyptian prayers and spells buried with deceased.

Booth, Charles. 1840-1916. English social reformer. 17 volume Life and Labour of the People in London 1891-1903.

Booth, William. 1829-1912. British reformer. Founder of Salvation Army, 1878. In Darkest England and the Way Out 1890.

Borden, Lizzie. 1860-1927. US. Acquitted of father’s and stepmother’s axe murders 1892.

Borga, Assembly. 1809. Recognition of Finland as autonomous Grand Duchy under Russia.

Borgia, Cesare. 1476-1507. Ruthless Italian Machiavellian statesman. Son of Pope Alexander VI.

Borgia, Lucrezia. 1480-1519. Daughter of Pope Alexander VI. Known for vices and crimes.

Borodin, Aleksander. 1833-87. Russian heroic composer. Prince Igor 1869.

Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balkans. 1180 Independent Kingdom. 1350 +Hum (Herzegovina). 1463 Ottoman. 1878 Austria-Hungary. 1797 France. 1805 Russia. 1918 Yugoslavia. 1946 Communist. 1992 Independent. 1993 Yugoslav Serbs invade. 1995 Dayton Accord.

Bosnian Crisis. 1908-9. Russia sides with Serbian rebels after Austria-Hungary annexation. Black Hand.

Botswana. 1884 British occupy =Bechuanaland Protectorate. 1966 Independent.

Botticelli, Sandro. 1445-1510. Poetic Florentine Renaissance painter: Sistine fresco 1482.Birth of Venus 1485.

Boucher, Francois. 1703-70. French mythological and landscape painter. Louis XV Rococo Style. Mme de Pompadour favourite. “Decorator of Boudoirs”. Déjeuner 1738.

Boullée, Étienne. 1728-99. French grandiose Neoclassical architect.

Bourne, Randolph. 1886-1918. US pacifist essayist. Untimely Papers 1919.

Bowring, Treaty. 1855. Opened Siam to British trade.

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