Becket, St. Thomas à. 1118-70. Archbishop of Canterbury 1162-, murdered in Cathedral by Henry II’s knights.

Beckett, Samuel. 1906-89. English/Irish novelist, dramatist expressing man’s suffering: Waiting for Godot 1952. Endgame.

Becquerel, Henri. 1852-1908. French discoverer of Uranium radioactivity, 1896. Curie.

Beer Hall Putsch. 1923. Hitler’s unsuccessful Munich uprising. Wrote Mein Kampf while imprisoned 8 months.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. 1770-1827. German composer expressing emotions in music. Tone poet. Developed form and structure. “The Shakespeare of music”. 9 Symphonies. Eroica 1804. 5th 1807. 9th 1824.

Beghards. 13C. Catholic men’s charitable communities. Condemned 1311.

Béguines. 12C- Belgian Catholic women’s charitables communities. Condemned 1311. Still exist.

Bekhtrev, Vladmir. 1857-1927. Extended Pavlov’s Conditioned Response theory. Objective Psychology, 1910.

Belgium. 150BC Celts. 51BC Rome. 3C Franks. 9C Lower Lorraine. 15C Burgundy. 1477 Hapsburg. 1555 Spain. 1714 Austria. 1795 French. 1814 Austria. 1815 +Holland=United Netherlands. 1831 Independent kingdom. Neutrality guaranteed by Quintuple Treaty 1839. WWII Germans occupy. 1948 Benelux.

Belinsky, V.G. 1811-48. Russian literary critic. Emphasized social responsibility of literature. “Father of Russian radical intelligentsia.”

Belle Epoque. 1885-1900. Time of flourishing arts and entertainment in Paris. Moulin Rouge.

Bellerophon. Pegasus’ rider, destroyed the Chimera.

Belloc, Hilaire. 1870-1953. French/English writer: Bad Child’s Book of Beasts 1896. Cautionary Tales 1907.

Bellona. Roman goddess of war. Mars’ sister.

Bellow, Saul. 1915-2005. Canadian/US psychological novelist: Herzog 1964. Humboldt’s Gift 1975.

Ben Gurion, David. 1886-1973. Polish/Israeli Labour pol. First Prime Minister of Israel, 1948~63. “Architect of Israel”.

Benét, Stephen. 1898-1943. US poet, writer. Devil and Daniel Webster 1937. John Brown’s Body 1928.

Benevolences. 1473-1689. Forced ’loans’ to English monarchs.

Benin.1625 Abomey kingdom = Dahomey. 1892 France. 1895 French West Africa. 1959 Autonomous. 1960 Independent =Dahomey. 1975 =People’s Republic of Benin.

Bentham, Jeremy. 1748-1832. English Utilitarian philosopher, jurist. Principles of Morals and Legislation 1789. Fragment on Government 1776.“Greatest happiness for the greatest number”.

Béranger, Pierre. 1780-1857. French Republican poet and singer. Roi d’Yvetot 1813.

Berengar of Tours. c999-1088. Questioned transubstantiation 1044.

Beria, Laurenty. 1899-1953. Soviet commisar in charge of Stalin’s security police 1938-.

Berlin Blockade. 1948-9. Russia’s winter blockade is thwarted by US, British airlift of supplies.

Berlin Wall. 1961-89. Soviet troops erect. US guarantees West Berlin’s freedom.

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