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

Blue Stockings. 1750s French literary salon held by educated women.

Blum, Léon. 1872-1950. French Socialist Prime Minister 1936-7. 40 hr. week.

Bly, Nellie. 1867-1922. US star reporter.

Boabdil (Mohammed XI). -1538. Last Moorish King of Spain, 1482-92.

Boccioni, Umberto. 1882-1916. Italian artist. Founded Futurism. Riot in the Gallery 1909.

Bocskay, István. 1557-1606. Hungarian rebel vs HRE Catholicism. Gained Transylvania from Rudolf II. Vienna Peace, 1606.

Bode, Johann. 1747-1826. German astronomer: Laws of planetary distances, 1766.

Bodel, Jean. 1167-1210. Wrote first French miracle play. Play of St. Nicholas 1200.

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.

Boethius. 475-524. Roman translator of Aristotle. Neoplatonic. Stoic. Consolation of Philosophy 523 (while imprisoned).

Bogart, Humphrey. 1899-1957. US film star. Maltese Falcon 1941. Casablanca 1942.

Bogomils. 9-15C. Slavic ascetic Christian cult. All matter created by the devil.

Böhme, Jakob. 1575-1624. German mystic. Explained world in terms of opposing elements. Aurora 1612.

Bohr, Niels. 1885-1962. Danish atomic physicist. Electron quantum levels, 1913.

Boito, Arrigo. 1842-1918. Italian poet, librettist: Verdi’s Othello, Falstaff.

Bokassa. 1921-96. Central African Republic dictator 1966-79. Overthrew Dacko, who was restored by France.

Boleslav the Cruel. -967. Brother, murdered St. Wenceslaus to become Prince of Bohemia, 929.

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

Bolsheviks. (“Majority”) 1903-52. Revolutionary faction of Social Democratic Workers Party for dictatorship of Proletariat. =Communist. Mensheviks.

Bolt, Robert. 1924-95. English dramatist. A Man for all Seasons 1960.

Boltzmann, Ludwig. 1844-1906. Austrian physicist. Statistical Mechanics, 1870.

Bonaparte, Jerôme. 1784-1860. King of Westphalia 1807-13. Marshal of France. Napoleon’s brother.

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

Bonaventure, St. 1217-1274. Italian Franciscan theologian.

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