Auden, W.H. 1907-73. English/US poet/opera librettist. The Rake’s Progress 1951.

Augustine, St. 354-430. Author of Confessions, City of God. Bishop of Hippo. “God is omnipotent.” Introduced Neoplatonic Determinism to Christianity. Church should rule state.

Aulic Council. 1498-1806. Court of Holy Roman Empire. Derived from Maximilian’s personal council.

Aumale, Henri, duc d’Orleans. 1822-97. French general, Orleanist leader.

Austen, Jane. 1775-1817. English novelist: Sense and Sensibility, 1811, Pride and Prejudice, 1813. “the exquisite touch which renders the commonplace interesting”-W. Scott. Emma 1816.

Austrian Succession, War. 1740-48. Jenkins Ear and King George’s Wars. Maria Theresa recognized. Francis I becomes Holy Roman Emperor. Prussian power shown. Aix-la-Chapelle Treaty. Silesian War.

Auto-da-fé. (Act of Faith). 1481-1850. Sentencing ceremony of Inquisition.

Avernus. Crater lake, believed by Romans to be Hell’s entrance.

Avogadro, Amadeo. 1776-1856. PV=nRT. Number of molecules in a given quantity of gas 1811.

Aztec Empire. 14C-1521. Mexico. Conquered by Spanish.

Ba’al Shem-Tov. 1700-60. Polish founder of Hasidism. Holiness of ordinary existence.

Ba’ath. 1943-. Pan-Arab Socialist unity party.

Babel. Babylonian tower to heaven started by Noah’s sons.

Babeuf, François. 1760-97. French Socialist egalitarian revolutionary. “Conspiracy of Equals” vs Directory.

Babington, Anthony. 1561-86. English conspirator to murder Elizabeth I for Mary Queen of Scots. Beheaded.

Babism. 1844-50. Shi’ite mystical ascetic sect. Numerology. Number 19. Baha’ism.

Babylonia. c8000BC Tigris-Euphrates Civ’n. 1792-50BC Hammurabi’s emp. c1530 Kassite. 11C Aramaen, Assyrian. 625 Chaldean. 538 Achaemenid. 331BC Alexander.

Babylonian Captivity. 586-538BC. “70 Years” of Jewish exile by Nebuchadnezzar.

Bacon, Francis. 1561-1626. English chancellor and philosopher. First king’s counsel. Favoured inductive over deductive reasoning. Separated Science from religion. New Atlantis 1625. B. Scientific method: Novum Organum 1620. Essays 1625.

Bacon’s Rebellion. 1676. Virginia colonists under N.Bacon defeat Indians, take Jamestown.

Badoglio, Pietro. 1871-1956. Italian. Conquered Ethiopia 1936. Arranged 1943 armistice. Prime Minister 1943-44.

Badr, Battle. 624. Muhammad’s first military victory. Defeats Umayyad caravan.

Baha’ism. 1863-. Founded by Baha (1817-92), disciple of Bab. Religion advocating world peace, through unification of mankind.

Bakunin, Mikhail. 1814-76. Russian anarchist revolutionary. International movement. Advocated assassination. Dieu et l’état 1871.

Balder. Scandinavian god of peace, felled by Hoder’s mistletoe arrow.

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