Alcaçovas, Treaty. 1479. Portugal renounces claim to Castile.

Alcamenes. c440BC. Greek sculptor; delicacy and finish.

Alchemy. Magic art of Egyptian origin attempting to transmute metals, esp lead to gold. Based on belief that all metals are a pure base metal + impurities which the philosopher’s stone can remove.

Alcmaeonidae. 7-5C BC. Prominent Athenian family. Pericles.

Alcott, Louisa May. 1832-88. US novelist: Little Women 1869.

Alcuin. c735-804. English Counselor to Charlemagne. Set up monastic education system in Europe.

Aldine Editions. 1490-1597. Quality books printed by Aldo Manuzio and family, Venice.

Aldrich, Henry. 1647-1710. English composer/architect: Peckwater Quad, Oxford, 1707-14.

Alecto. Fury of Anger.

Alemanni. 3-6C. Confederation of Germanic tribes in Swabia defeated by Clovis, 496.

Alembert, Jean Le Rand d’. 1717-83. French philosopher and mathematician, Encyclopaedist.

Alexander. 1888-1934. Yugoslav King, 1921-. United Serbs, Croats, Slovenes as Yugoslavia 1929. Assassinated.

Alexander I. 1777-1825. Russian Czar, 1801-. Liberal reformer. Defeated Napoleon. Holy Alliance.

Alexander II. 1818-81. Russian Czar 1855-. Emancipated serfs, 1861. Established elected assemblies, Zemstvo, settled Crimean War. Assassinated by Narodniki.

Alexander III. 1845-1894. Russian Czar 1881-. Established absolute rule using secret police. Temporary Rules. Franco-Russian Alliance.

Alexander VI. Pope. Demarcation Bull 1493 divided newly discovered land between Spain, Portugal. Tordesillas.

Alexandria. Founded 332BC by Alexander the Great. Centre of Hellenistic culture. Lighthouse one of Seven Wonders. 284BC Great Library of 700,000+ volumes. Fires 47BC, 391.

Alexandrian School. 2C. First Christian school of higher learning.

Alexius I. 1048-1118. Byzantine Emperor 1081-. Restored empire. Requested aid. First Crusade.

Alfonso X (the Wise). 1221-84. King of León and Castile. Codified laws, first history of Spain.

Alfonso XIII. 1886-1941. King of Spain 1886-1931. Survived 5 assassination attempts. Support for Primo de Rivera weakened monarchy.

Alfred the Great. 849-99. Saxon King of Wessex 871-. Resisted Danes 877-79 (Edington) + 892-96. Captured London 886. First British Navy 897.

Alger, Horatio. 1832-99. US writer of boys’ “rags to riches” stories. Ragged Dick 1868.

Algeria. c2000BC Berber. 12C BC Phoenicia...9C BC Carthage. 146 BC Rome. 429 Vandal. 6C Byzantine. 7C Moslem. c1500 Spain. 1518 Ottoman. 1671 Independent. 1830 France. 1962 Independent.

Algerian Revolutionary War. 1954-62. Plebiscite granted independence from France, 1962.

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