Vega Carpio, Lope Felix de. 1562-1635. “Father” of Spanish drama. 1800 plays. Italian form to Spanish poetry.

Velikovsky, Immanuel. 1895-1979. Russian/US writer of controversial scientific theories. Worlds in Collision 1950.

Verdun. 1916. Battle in which French repulsed the Germans. 750,000 casualties.

Verne, Jules. 1828-1905. French Science Fiction fantasy writer. Voyage to the Centre of the Earth 864. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870. Round the World in 80 Days 1873.

Verwoerd, Hendrik. 1901-66. South African Prime Minister 1958-66. Apartheid. Left Commonwealth 1961. Assassinated.

Vestal Virgins. Chaste Roman guardians of Temple to Vesta, goddess of the hearth.

Vichy. Seat of Pétain’s pro-German government, 1940-44 in unoccupied southern France. Source of waters famous since Roman times.

Viète, François. 1540-1603. French mathematician, algebraic notation. Equation theory.

Vilar, Esther. 1935-. German anti-feminist writer. Manipulated Man.

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.

Wales, Prince of. 1301-. Title of heir apparent to the British throne.

Wallace, Alfred. 1823-1913. British naturalist. Theory of natural selection, 1838, independent of Darwin.

Wallis, John. 1616-1703. English mathematician. Calculus, cryptography. Infinitesimals 1655.

Walter the Penniless. -1097. French knight. Led Peasants’ Crusade with Peter the Hermit.

Walther von der Vogelwelde. 1170-1230. German lyric poet.

Warbeck, Perkin. 1474-99. Flemish. Posed as Richard, Duke of York, pretender to the English throne. Executed.

Warren, Robert. 1905-89. US Fugitive novelist. All the King’s Men 1946.

Warwick, Earl of. 1428-71. “The Kingmaker”-. Helped York Edward IV, then restored Lancaster Henry VI.

Weather Forecasts. 1860. First regularly issued by British Admiralty Office.

Webb, Matthew. 1848-83. English. First to swim across English Channel, 1875.

Wegener, Alfred. 1880-1930. Theory of Continental Drift 1910.

Wei. 220-80. Southern China dynasty. Conquered Shu Han 264, Wu 280.

Weismann, August. 1834-1914. German. Germ-plasm theory of heredity.

Wenceslaus, St. 907-29. Patron saint of Czechs. Murdered by brother Boleslav I.

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