Danelaw. 878-955. NE England under Viking occupation and the laws in effect.

Danton, Georges. 1759-94. French Cordelier, Jacobin. Girondin leader 1792-3. Defeated foreign interveners. Executed by Robespierre.

Dario, Ruben. 1867-1916. Published Azul 1888, starting Modernismo movement.

Darius I. 550-486BC. Persian King 522-. Defeated by the Greeks at Marathon after expanding empire. Great builder and administrator.

Darius III. Last Persian King, 335-330BC. Beaten by Alexander the Great.

Daudet, Leon. 1867-1942. Cofounder of Action Française, 1908.

Daumesnil, Gen. (Peg Leg). Defender of Vincennes, 1814. “Give me back my leg, and I’ll give you Vincennes.”

Davis, Jefferson. 1808-89. US Confederate president during Civil War.

Day, Benjamin. 1810-89. US founder New York Sun 1833. Brother Jonathan 1842.

Deacon. Christian cleric. Lowest rank of Episcopal Holy Orders. Protestant lay official.

Deák, Ferenc. 1803-76. Hungarian leader. Ausgleich.

Deakin, Alfred. 1856-1919. Australian Prime Minister 1903~10. First Attorney General 1901. Led federation movement.

Debs, Eugene. 1855-1926. US socialist leader. Led Pullman Strike 1894.

Decazes, Elie, duc de. 1780-1860. Minister of Louis XVIII. Moderate leader.

Deductive Reasoning. Aristotelian. Derivation of universal truths from prior certainties. Syllogisms.

Defender of the Faith. 1521. Title conferred by Pope Leo X on Henry VIII. Withdrawn after Act of Supremacy. Reconfirmed by Parliament, 1544 for all succeeding monarchs.

Defenestration of Prague. 1419. Hussites eject aldermen. 1618. Protestants throw regents out window. Begins Thirty Years War.

Defoe, Daniel. 1660-1731. English writer: Robinson Crusoe 1719; Moll Flanders 1722. Idea of savings bank, 1697.

Delius, Frederick. 1862-1934. English/French Impressionist opera composer. Tone poems.

Demagogue. In Greece, leader popular with masses. Now, a politician who plays on popular passions for personal gain.

Demarcation Bull. 1493. Pope Alexander VI divides New World between Portugal/Spain. Tordesillas.

Deng Xiaoping. 1902-97. Chinese Communist leader 1973~. Purged by Mao, rehabilitated. Tiananmen.

Derby, Earl of. 1799-1869. English Prime Minister 1852, 58, 66. Abolition of slavery.

Dervish. Friar of Islam religion. Often mystic.

Desiderius. Last Lombard king 757-74. Defeated by Charlemagne.

815 more results ...